Ep. 62 Francesco Mazzei, Managing Director Castello di Fonterutoli

Wine Podcast: The Honest Pour with John Lenart

We continue our special series of episodes from Chianti Classico. In this episode we visit Castello di Fonterutoli just south of Chianti Classico. It's on this spot, that the riders of the legend of the black rooster met. The tiny hamlet no loner houses the winery, it is still home to the Mazzei family's agroturismo and osteria (a great place to have a traditional, highly regional dinner!). The new winery is a modern, high tech winemaking facility, built into the hillside that still uses time honored traditions of vinification. The Mazzei family has been involved in the wine business for 24 generation and holds a unique place in U.S. history. It is said that Philip Mazzei inspired Thomas Jefferson to write that "All men are by nature equally free and independent." Today brothers Francesco and Filippo continue the family's legacy of making great wine. I met with Francesco at the winery south of Castellina in Chianti to discuss the family's heritage, the importance of Chianti Classico and of course to taste some delicious wine.