2016 Fontodi Case Via Pinot Nero Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT, Tuscany

The 2016 Pinot Nero Case Via is a very special expression of the grape that shows darkness and increased concentration in this beautiful vintage. This wine offers a purely Tuscan take on Pinot Nero. It pours from the bottle with a dark garnet color, showing aromas of dried cherry, smoke, tar and road paving. The wine closes with a broad, mid-weight approach. This would be a nice bottle to open for a game dinner with roasted pheasant.

Readers who follow our Italian coverage know that I have already reviewed many of the new releases from Fontodi including the 100-point 2016 Flaccianello della Pieve and the 98-point 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo. If you missed that exciting report, which is called "Perfection in Panzano" and features a full retrospective of Flaccianello della Pieve starting with the inaugural 1981 vintage, you can find it (plus a nine-minute video that I produced) here:

96 points Monica Larner robertparker.com

Fontodi Case Via Pinot Nero Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT from Tuscany is a striking and rare example of how Pinot Noir can thrive in the hills of Chianti Classico when handled with precision and respect for terroir. Produced by Giovanni Manetti at the renowned Fontodi estate in Panzano, this wine represents both curiosity and craftsmanship — a Tuscan interpretation of Burgundy’s great grape, shaped by the warm days, cool nights and limestone-rich soils of the Conca d’Oro.

The Case Via vineyard lies on south-facing slopes at around 450 metres above sea level, planted with carefully selected Pinot Noir clones that express the finesse and fragrance of the variety while retaining the intensity of the Tuscan sun. Farming is fully organic, and all grapes are hand harvested and sorted. Fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and wooden vats, followed by maturation for 12 to 18 months in French oak barriques. The goal is not imitation but identity — a wine that reflects both Fontodi’s elegant house style and the uniqueness of its high-altitude site.

In the glass it shows bright ruby red. The aroma is complex and beguiling, offering notes of red cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry layered with violet, spice, forest earth and a touch of cedar. The palate is refined and silky, combining pure red fruit with fine acidity and gently structured tannins. Hints of truffle, rose petal and mineral carry through a long, graceful finish, giving the wine both lift and persistence.

It pairs beautifully with duck breast, roasted quail, mushroom risotto or grilled salmon. It also works well with truffle dishes and aged cheeses such as pecorino or Taleggio. Though charming young for its perfume and poise, it will evolve beautifully over the next decade, gaining savoury depth and Burgundian complexity while retaining Tuscan warmth.