This is an incredible wine. It shows aromas of violets, berries, and licorice that show fresh porcini mushrooms as well. It’s full and very balanced with fresh acidity and wonderful length. Fabulous. Give it time still, if you can hold yourself back from drinking it.

The 2006 Flaccianello della Pieve is monumental as it has been since the very beginning. Smoke black cherries plums incense licorice and tar are some of the many notes that burst from the glass in this powerful wine. The 2006 has fruit and structure to burn. It is going to be an absolutely fabulous wine to follow over the coming years but patience is key. A huge explosive finish rounds things out in style. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2036. This complete vertical of Fontodi's flagship 100% Sangiovese Flaccianello was yet another of the remarkable tastings of my recent trip to Tuscany. Flaccianello is an interesting wine because the quality level that is the norm today only really starts around 2001. Prior to that the wines were very good and sometimes even better than that but not profound. In 2001 proprietor Giovanni Manetti made the decision to focus on his estate's best fruit rather than making Flaccianello as a single-vineyard wine. Since then Flaccianello has routinely been among the most exciting wines in Tuscany... -Antonio Galloni

Complex nose of flowers, red fruits, woodsy elements and spice. This is beginning to hit it's stride, very classy, harmonious and supple, with firm tannins now becoming integrated. Very intense and very long.—Non-blind Flaccianello vertical (July 2014). Best from 2016 through 2028. 5,000 cases made. –BS