When we talk about winemaking we have to think of a series of phases that must be carried out methodically but at the same time are never the same, in fact many factors change with each harvest and must be taken into consideration. And this is even more true if wines are produced respecting the territory and seasonality. The racking is one of those phases whose importance is often underestimated, but it has a very specific meaning and is anything but improvised. Specifically, racking allows the elimination of sediments from the liquid obtained from fermentation, that is residues of skins, grape seeds, but also yeast and more. These substances have different specific weights and the lighter ones continue to remain, slowly depositing on the bottom with the passing of the months, and this is why at the Fattoria di Selvapiana we carry out up to three, to obtain a limpid, clear and stable wine. We use the Air Transfer technique, which consists of pouring the wine into an open container placed lower down, an action that promotes the oxygenation of the wine, protects from any reduction problems and eliminates unpleasant odors caused by fermentation. About a month after the end of the vinification, after the pressing phase, we proceed with the racking in order to clean the wine from the lees over time. This first racking of the wine has the purpose of eliminating the lees that have gone to deposit on the bottom of the container. In Selvapiana, after the two fermentations, we have the tradition of carrying out two more rackings in order to be able to refine the wines as clean as possible. It is important to carry out this step with extreme care and attention to avoid alterations in the wine. This phase is very delicate and requires a lot of time and attention to be carried out in the correct time and manner. At the end of winter or early spring the wine must be racked again. It is important that this racking is done before the hot season arrives, a period in which it is always inadvisable to make the wine undergo "displacements" that could alter its chemical state. Also in this case our experience and technical knowledge allow us to avoid the use of adjuvant or stabilizing substances. Generally in white and young wines the process ends here and bottling is carried out, while in the red and white ones destined for aging, further annual rackings are carried out in the spring, again to preserve color and properties.

On an afternoon in late June we finally had the pleasure of hosting 15 young future sommeliers accompanied by the delegate AIS (Italian Sommelier Association) Fabio Ceccarelli for an educational tasting, the first after these months of lockdown. Starting with the usual tour of the vineyards, after a particular stop in Bucerchiale, we visited the new winemaking cellar and then we immersed in the ancient cellars of Selvapiana dedicated to aging in large barrels and the conservation of historical vintages. Back in the tasting room we presented the traditional tasting route starting with Sangiovese based wines Chianti Rufina DOCG Selvapiana Vendemmia 2018, Chianti Rufina Riserva DOCG Vigneto Bucerchiale 2016, Chianti Rufina DOCG Vigneto Erchi 2016 and then continue with Pomino Rosso DOC 2015 and Fornace IGT Toscana 2015, which adds the pleasantness of Cabernet and Merlot to Sangiovese. An excellent opportunity to understand the various variations of Sangiovese, spaced and safe but united by the passion for good wine.

Attached please find all press from this past month: Wine Spectator - Selvapiana Fornace Wine Spectator - Selvapiana Chianti Rufina Vigneto Bucerchiale Riserva Wine Spectator -Selvapiana Tuscany

Just a quickie this very busy Thursday morning as the food and wine world seems to be finally getting back online. I opened the above bottle of Selvapiana Chianti Rufina 2014 four nights ago and drank two glasses with dinner over the last three evenings. And man, the very last glass, which I paired with rotisserie chicken and a baked potato (dressed simply with extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, and freshly cracked pepper), was the best of all. I was just blown away by how vibrant and how varietally expressive this wine was. It wasn’t just hanging in there on the third night. It was actually even better than the previous evening. What a great wine and what a great value… All things considered, for the price (around $17 in my market) and quality and availability throughout the U.S., this is one of my all-time top wines. Definitely in my top 5 for greater Chianti. It also paired gorgeously with Tracie P’s Neapolitan-style ragù on nights one and two. That’s all I have time for today… more tomorrow… Thanks for being here. Posted on January 12, 2017 by Do Bianchi - https://dobianchi.com/2017/01/12/best-chianti-classico-rufina/