I Fabbri Chianti Classico Lamole 2018 in Fiasco

Chianti Classico has been one of my favorite wines for quite a while.
There is something about the Sangiovese grape, that makes up most and sometimes all of a Chianti Classico wine, that keeps me coming back to them again and again. When I came across an offering for I Fabbri Chianti Classico Lamole 2018 bottled in fiasco I was intrigued.
 
A fiasco is the name of the iconic straw covered bottle that has been in use for centuries in Italy. The straw covering helped make the bottle better suited for being transported. During the 1970’s fiaschi were often seen in Italian restaurants and college dorms as a candle holder. The sad fact is that the wine in those bottles was not always very good. More on that later.

Photo credit I Fabbri

Before I placed an order for the I Fabbri I did some research as I had not had any experience with the producer. The more I read about them the more interested I got. The estate has been in the Grassi family since the 1600’s. Wine was produced there along with a blacksmith operation. The blacksmith term would later provide the name for the I Fabbri winery. Over time the vineyard was abandoned. Daughter Susanna Grassi had spent time away from the estate and worked in the fashion business. By the end of the 1990’s Susanna decided to return to the estate and began the rebuilding of the of the family wine business. In 2000 I Fabbri was born.

Photo cedit I Fabbri

There was quite a lot of work needed to bring the property to where it is today. By  2002 the ancient stone terraces were restored. In 2003 integrated pest management began, part of the move to be sure the vineyards are grown using sustainable practices and is now fully organic. They also began using recycled cardboard for packaging.
 

Photo credit I Fabbri

Read More