Fonterenza Rosso di Montalcino Alberello 2022

Fonterenza Alberello 2022, the free-spirited Sangiovese

In this Rosso di Montalcino Alberello 2022, what first stands out to me is the choice of a Sangiovese vinified on its own and worked with patience, without trying to mask its origin behind a flashy description. Fonterenza combines biodynamic farming here, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, and aging split between wood and stainless steel. A red to consider if you enjoy wines of character where the substance remains at the heart of the story.

The hills of Montalcino and the Fonterenza spirit

Fonterenza is a young estate in Montalcino run by the twin sisters Margherita and Francesca Padovani, who came from Milan. They farm four hectares of vines biodynamically and produce wines in a traditional style, as well as fresher, fruitier natural cuvées. The Alberello has been produced separately since 2015, from a small plot reserved for this cuvée. Its vines grow on marly soils where quartz is present, with east and northeast exposures.

The grape is Sangiovese, hand-harvested. In the cellar, the grapes are destemmed and then fermented in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts. Maceration on the skins lasts fifteen to twenty days. The wine is then aged for about twenty-four months: eleven months in Slavonian oak foudres, followed by thirteen months in stainless steel. It is bottled without filtration or fining, so a sediment may form, a sign worth knowing before serving. Although its name refers to Rosso di Montalcino, the style is listed as IGT Toscana: I stick to that designation to situate the cuvée.

At the table, with dishes of character

The sources give no precise aroma notes, so I prefer not to invent a color, a fruit scent or a sensation on the palate. The available information places the wine midway between fruit and spice, with moderate wood presence and a medium body. They sketch a red that seems able to accompany a generous table without its aging being presented as dominant. To serve it, you can pair it with game or red meat, the pairings suggested for this cuvée. I would choose it for a meal where you take the time to let the wine open up, keeping in mind that a light sediment is possible. A bottle to share when you feel like a Sangiovese from Montalcino made from a small plot, crafted with care and without fining artifice.