Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve 2021 from the fabled Conca d’Oro amphitheatre of Panzano is a towering, 100% Sangiovese icon – inky, powerful and deeply perfumed – that shows why this cuvée sits among Tuscany’s most sought‑after reds. This organically farmed Flaccianello 2021 is a selection of the estate’s best Sangiovese parcels, spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts and macerated for about three weeks in stainless steel, then aged 24 months in French barriques and larger oak, giving depth, polish and serious ageability.

In the glass you’ll see a deep ruby to inky core with violet flashes and aromas of black cherry, blackberry, dark plum and pressed blackberry, laced with flint, matchstick, crushed stone, violet, wild herbs and subtle balsamic notes. The palate is full‑bodied yet finely balanced, wrapping ripe, layered dark fruits in ripe, silky but chewy tannins, vibrant acidity and mineral drive, with lingering notes of dark chocolate, tobacco, leather, black tea and graphite giving Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve 2021 a long, resonant, almost architectural finish. It is sumptuous, racy and dense, built to unfurl over decades.

Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve 2021 deserves rich Tuscan‑inspired fare – bistecca alla fiorentina, slow‑braised beef or lamb, game dishes, truffled mushroom ragù or aged pecorino – where its power, tannin and savoury complexity can fully stretch out. While you can technically open it now with a long decant, critics suggest cellaring a few years: many recommend drinking from about 2027–2028 through the 2040s and beyond, given its concentration and structure. This is a centrepiece bottle for serious Italian‑wine lovers.