Selvapiana

Why Selvapiana is Essential

Located just east of Florence, the Rufina subzone of the Chianti DOCG appellation stands in a stark contrast to nearby Chianti Classico. For one, it is significantly smaller, so there are simply less wines to sample from to understand it. But it is also cooler, thanks to its position in the foothills of the Apennines. When I visited Rufina in early April 2022, a fresh snow was clinging to the highest ridges, and winemaker Federico Giuntini was concerned about whether the new buds in his Bucerchiale vineyard would survive the night. But the nerves of spring give way to the elegance of summer. This is a great place to ripen Sangiovese, especially since summers through central Italy are increasingly hot.

Fattoria Selvapiana is the benchmark for Rufina. Situated on a bench of land overlooking the Sieve River, the estate is quite old, dating back to the Italian Renaissance when a villa was added to a Medieval watchtower that defended Florence on the city-state's eastern frontier. Its current line of ownership stretches back to 1827. Proprietors Federico and Silvia Giuntini Masseti are actually the children of Franco Masseti, the estate manager from long ago. With no children to pass the estate on to, owner Francesco Giuntini Antinori adopted them, and it is now in their very capable hands.

The centerpiece here is the Bucerchiale vineyard and the remarkable Sangiovese it yields: it can go toe-to-toe with most Chianti Classico and usually costs a fraction of the price. In some vintages, the other single-vineyard Chianti Rufina — Vigneto Erchi — can be even more dazzling. Since Tuscany is still chock full of overly ambitious Riserva wines that ultimately fatigue the palate with coarse tannin and boring oak flavors, Selvapiana's top-flight wines ring like a bell. They're fresh, exuberant and restrained where they need to be, all in service of being a better match at the dinner table.

Be sure to hunt down Selvapiana's Vin Santo, as well as their olive oil.

Wines to Seek Out

It would be a mistake to talk about Selvapiana as only a Chianti Rufina estate, for it is also one of only two producers making wines in the tiny but historically important appellation of Pomino. Also: while I don’t have an Essential Dessert Wines of Italy list, if I did, their Vin Santo would be on it.

If you want to start cellaring wine on a budget, start here.

Selvapiana Chianti Rufina

The Selvapiana Chianti Rufina works any night of the week, but can get dressed up for a Sunday roast as well. This is a shorter-maceration, less-oaky version of Chianti, and can be quite appetizing even on a summer’s evening. It is absurdly cheap for the level of quality.

Selvapiana “Bucerchiale” Chianti Rufina Riserva

Made in only the best years (roughly 70% of the time), this varietal Sangiovese draws its power from a single vineyard with ideal exposure, and is given 32 months of aging before release. It shows remarkable poise and depth of flavor as a result, with a savory, umami edge to it that might inspire cravings for a pecorino-covered ragu. Priced in the mid-$30 range, it is one of the best value red wine Riservas in Tuscany, without a doubt.

Selvapiana "Vigneto Erchi" Chianti Rufina Riserva

Another single-vineyard Chianti Rufina — Vigneto Erchi — strikes me as the most thrilling of Selvapiana's red wines. It has a sprinter's acidity that races across the palate and a "hematic quality" — to borrow Giuntini's phrase — possibly due to the vineyard's iron-rich soils that seem to have found their way into the wine's expressive, meaty aromas.

Selvapiana “Villa Petrognano” Pomino

The “Villa Petrognano” Pomino is a beautiful, classy wine decked in bitter blueberry and violet aromas. Here, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot account for 40% of the blend, but the wine hardly feels like it is straining for some international standard of taste. Easily Selvapiana’s most hearty and tannic wine.

Selvapiana Vin Santo del Chianti Rufina

Perhaps my favorite wine of Selvapiana is the decadent, pitch-perfect Vin Santo del Chianti Rufina. This wine is a heavenly tipple after dinner, and enhances any Christmas cookie you nosh alongside it. Pour some for Santa.