2000 Flaccianello della Pieve

The 2000 Flaccianello della Pieve was made with fruit from a single vineyard after which the wine is named. This vintage (and all the vintages before it) sees fruit sourced from the Flaccianello della Pieve site located under the town of Panzano not far from the little chapel, la Pieve di San Leolino. The vintages after this starting with 2001 represent a selection of the best fruit across various sites. Many changes were underway in 2000, including a definitive shift to organic farming. By 2000, at the dawn of the new millennium, the Manetti family had dedicated much of its efforts to understanding the potential and individual characteristics of each parcel they farmed in the greater Conca d'Oro area. Giovanni Manetti tells me that he felt inspired by fruit coming from other sites, with vines of varying ages. The family had gained the confidence to tweak the formula used to make their top-shelf wine, so in effect, this vintage represents as close to the wine's first incarnation that started with the inaugural 1981 vintage. Despite the symbolic importance of this vintage on the Flaccianello timeline, the actual wine remains subdued and understated. Chalky mineral notes appear at the back of smoke, tar and dried violets. The tannins are delicate and softly polished with a touch of sweetness. This was a very hot growing season, and the acidity is less pronounced as a result.