Three Selvapiana wines were reviewed by Master of Wine Mary Ewing-Mulligan for Wine Review Online. "Three Chiantis from an Outlying District By Mary Ewing-Mulligan Jul 20, 2020 Fattoria Selvapiana, Chianti Rufina 2018, Vigneto Bucerchiale 2016 and Vigneto Erchi 2016 (Dalla Terra Winery Direct, $19, $35 and $50): These days, Chianti is my favorite wine that I hardly ever drink. As much as I am a big fan of Chianti and Chianti Classico, I’m not dining out these days and therefore not ordering it in restaurants, where it is often the ideal choice. That and the urge to explore new and different wines have left Chianti out of my repertoire of late. Consider this column the beginning of my reparation. The overwhelming majority of my favorite Chianti wines are actually Chianti Classico, a separate wine once encompassed within the broader name of “Chianti.” Within the Chianti category per se, Fattoria Selvapiana is the star. It hails from the smallest of the Chianti subzones, Rufina, in the northeastern part of the territory. Here the soils are similar to those of Chianti Classico, but a more northern location and elevations that can range from 200 to 700 meters (655 to 2300 feet) give the wines delicacy and tautness that is particular to the region — particular to Selvapiana, in any case, which is the zone’s finest producer. Among Selvapiana’s four current releases, its basic Chianti Rufina 2018 is the least expensive ($19), the easiest to enjoy, and the readiest to drink. Despite these connotations of “lesser than,” it’s the wine I really want to drink, especially now, in July. Its nose is surprising fruity and vibrant for a Chianti; it suggests fresh red cherries, dried herbs, fresh mint and thyme, and licorice. In your mouth, the wine is dry and medium-bodied, a light-ish red with a spine of acidity and just a medium amount of tannin, with fruity flavors similar to its aromas. A noteworthy aspect of this wine is how well it “hangs” in your mouth — fruitiness in the front, acidity up the middle and a combination of fruitiness and textured tannin in the back. It’s a complete wine that delivers all across your mouth. Did I mention the price, $19? The 2018 Chianti Rufina is 95% Sangiovese with some Canaiolo, Colorino and Malvasia Nera. It is aged in large French-oak barrels, and only briefly. The newest wine in the Selvapiana lineup is 2016 Vigneto Erchi Chianti Rufina ($50). It’s the opposite of Selvapiana’s basic Chianti Rufina in the sense that it’s the richest Chianti, the most ageworthy and the most expensive. When Selvapiana’s owners, the Giuntini family, purchased this land in 1999, it was the first purchase they had made since 1897! The 2016 is the first release from this vineyard. On the nose, this wine is complex but tight, showing savory mineral notes that combine with concentrated red cherry, spicy oak and woodsy herbal hints. After that tight nose, the wine seems surprisingly rich in flavor when it enters your mouth, all dark berry fruit but in a truly dry wine, not at all the sort of rich, fruity flavor many wine drinkers might be accustomed to. The wine has high acidity and an abundant amount of velvety tannin, but not enough tannin to overwhelm that fruit. Again, there’s balance happening here between the aromatics and the structure. The wine maintains the signature structure of a Chianti and yet delivers fruitiness worthy of not only the fine 2016 vintage, but also an apparently fine vineyard and an enlightened winemaking regime. This wine is 100% Sangiovese, from vines that were a massale selection from the Bucerchiale vineyard. It aged 18 months in French oak barriques. Between these two wines is the 2016 Selvapiana Vigneto Bucerchiale Chianti Rufina Riserva ($35). This is the winery’s flagship, a single-vineyard, all-Sangiovese wine has a track record of aging beautifully. Stylistically it is closer to the Chianti Rufina than the Vigneto Erchi because it is light on its feet and has an uplifted, fresh energy, but is considerably more concentrated. Its aroma gives me red cherry, a bit of raspberry, a whiff of chocolate and spicy, smoky oak. Although weightier than the basic Rufina, this wine is still medium-bodied, with high acidity (of course) and silky flesh, at least until the wine’s raspy tannins register on your tongue. Even then, a silkiness lingers and carries through to the finish. When the wine has some aeration, the tannin doesn’t really need a few years to integrate, but in a few years this wine will be all the better, while remaining classically Chianti Rufina. Traditionally, Vigneto Bucerchiale is considered Selvapiana’s finest Chianti, but the emergence of Vigneto Erchi might be shuffling the cards. Bucerchiale is a wonderful, classically styled Chianti with a proven pedigree. But for me in this moment, choosing between the drama of Vigneto Erchi and the joyful appeal of the basic Chianti Rufina has me speaking about Bucerchiale as if it is an also-ran. Such is the sad fate of the middle child. 2018 Selvapiana Chianti Rufina, 90 Points 2016 Vigneto Bucerchiale, 92 Points 2016 Vigneto Erchi, 93 Points" http://www.winereviewonline.com/MEM_on_Selvapiana_Rufina.cfm

  Time Flies: Celebrating New & Old Wines at Fattoria Selvapiana One hundred years passed between the Giuntini family’s last two purchases of land for vineyards, 1897 and 1997. So, the 19-year wait to produce the first single vineyard wine, Vigneto Erchi, from that new plot was relatively quick. (The family planted the vineyard in 1999.) In the same year that Fattoria Selvapiana welcomed this new wine to its stable, the winery also celebrated the 300th harvest since Pomino’s first quality decree, or bando, by Grand Duke Cosimo III de’ Medici in 1716. The duke defined this area to protect the quality of wines being shipped to England (in place of French claret during the various wars of those days) for increasingly higher prices and volumes. Time flies, and life is too short to drink bad wine. With any of the Selvapiana wines, you won’t waste a sip! 92 Fattoria Selvapiana 2016 Vigneto Erchi Chianti Rùfina DOCG 14% $50 The south-facing Erchi vineyard is planted with massal selection Sangiovese from the Bucerchiale vineyard. There is a fascinating, stern elegance in the Vigneto Erchi. The nose is tight and reserved. (Give it a hearty decanting.) The palate is similar though there is a pop of sweet cherry fleshiness in the mid-palate. The tannins are broad and grainy, and while their initial attack feels as though they may be relentlessly drying, the mid-palate plumpness diffuses them nicely. The concentrated, beautifully ripe fruit pivots into a lingering finish of dried mulch and exotic spice with a lightly leathery finish. Compelling now, this needs and deserves time. It has the structure and stuffing to age very well. Drink: 2023-30 94 Fattoria Selvapiana 2016 Vigneto Bucerchiale Chianti Rùfina DOCG Riserva 14.5% $35 This pure Sangiovese Riserva from Selvapiana’s best vineyard is made only in the best vintages. (See the 2014 and 2015.) It always impresses me that a wine with such pedigree can be so accessible at such an early age. This 2016 is raring to go with its enthralling aromas of roasted meat, briar fruits and mulch. The attack is smooth – almost lush for the Rùfina area – with ripe fruits. To back up this generously-bodied palate is Rùfina’s telltale chirpy acidity that creates a waterfall of refreshment on the back palate. Throughout, the lightly coarse and sticky tannins mold onto the palate to create a mouth-filling and dignified Sangiovese. The fruit is impressively powerful and forward – not surprising given the vintage, but the structure is unrelentingly harmonious. Drink: 2020-31 91 Fattoria Selvapiana 2015 Pomino Rosso DOC Villa Di Petrognano 14% $21 While Pomino is a very small denominazione today, so small that only two producers use the DOC, it once defined a much larger area, including Chianti Rùfina, Chianti Classico, Carmignano and Val d’Arno di Sopra. This wine’s dominant variety, Sangiovese (60%), is mostly noticeable in the orange-tinged, ruby color and the floral, strawberry-perfumed attack. Then this Pomino Rosso’s Bordeaux contributors – equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon – take over the palate flavors and feel. The mid-palate is full-bodied and supple thanks to the Merlot and the ripe nature of the 2015 vintage. The somewhat husky tannins hail from the Cabernet Sauvignon. The pleasantly earthy and minerally finish lingers with liveliness. There is good balance and integration here, and with the full-blast personality of the Bordeaux varieties, the wine could certainly stand to relax a bit in bottle. Still, it’s ready to be enjoyed if you like your wines young and vigorous. If you’re interested in putting away a few bottles to see how wines age, this should do nicely for the first half of this decade and even beyond, for a very modest sum! Drink: 2020-26 90 Fattoria Selvapiana 2018 Chianti Rùfina DOCG 13.5% $19 Chianti’s Rùfina sub-zone of is arguably the best of those outside the Classico area, and this label consistently shows why. Yet again, this is terrific value for the money, showing off Rùfina’s pretty and poised aromatics with Sangiovese’s tantalizing red fruit tones and light earthiness. This vintage’s aromas showcase rose petals, cigar wrapper and red currants. The medium-bodied palate is elegantly balanced between its pristine, energetic fruit, its lightly mouthcoating texture and elegant, talc-like tannins. There is zero evidence of oak use thanks to the employment of large, 25-30 hl French casks. This is the epitome of elegant, high altitude Chianti Rùfina. This vintage’s finish is lighter than the 2015 and 2016, suggesting that this is more of an early- to-mid-range wine. Drink: 2020-24 http://christycanterbury.com/publishedhere/2020/7/10/time-flies-celebrating-new-amp-old-wines-at-fattoria-selvapiana

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.

Carlo Macchi  wrote a beautiful article regarding the Chianti Rufina after the wine tasting and the Zoom live and he also published his reviews of the wines on Winesurf.it Following the article link: https://www.winesurf.it/chianti-rufina-ad-armi-pari-con-i-migliori-sangiovese/ and the reviews link: https://www.winesurf.it/it/guidavini/degustazioni/1125/chianti-rufina-2020-01-06-2020/ Carlo Macchi, inventore e curatore della guida  fino al 2005, è oggi direttore di winesurf.it, portale online dedicato al mondo del vino e dell'enogastronomia più in generale. inventor and curator of the Vini buoni d'Italia guide until 2005, he is now director of winesurf.it, an online website dedicated to the world of wine and food .

Antonio Galloni reviewed on Vinous the following Selvapiana wines: 2016 Chianti Rufina Vigneto Erchi – 91 + punti 2016 Chianti Rufina Vigneto Bucerchiale – 93 + punti   91+ pts Selvapiana 2016 Chianti Rùfina Vigneto Erchi Chianti Rùfina, Tuscany Red wine from Italy Drinking window: 2023 - 2031 The 2016 Chianti Rùfina Vigneto Erchi is powerful, earthy and savory. There is plenty of power and structure, but not a lot of fruit, while the tannins are searing. This is an especially severe style, even within the realm of Rùfina. Macerated red cherry, iron, dried herbs, chalk, mint and white pepper open up in the glass, but only with great reluctance. It will be interesting to see if the 2016 opens up with time. Today, it is quite unyielding. Antonio Galloni. Tasting date: July 2019 From 2016 Chianti Classico – A Modern Day Benchmark (Aug 2019) Selvapiana Grape/Blend Sangiovese Release price Not Available Cases Produced (12 bottles/case) 250 Release Date May 2019 Winery/Importer Contact Info selvapiana.it.   93+ pts Selvapiana 2016 Chianti Rùfina Vigneto Bucerchiale Chianti Rùfina, Tuscany Red wine from Italy Drinking window: 2022 - 2036 The 2016 Chianti Rùfina Vigneto Bucerchiale is a real standout. A wine of vertical explosiveness and energy, the 2016 Bucerchiale is deep, wonderfully defined and full of nuance. Macerated cherry, kirsch, sweet tobacco, licorice, menthol, chocolate and spice abound in this super-expressive, nuanced Chianti Rùfina. Expressive savory notes add the closing shades of nuance. This is a such a gorgeous and complete wine. Antonio Galloni. Tasting date: July 2019 From 2016 Chianti Classico – A Modern Day Benchmark (Aug 2019) Selvapiana Grape/Blend Sangiovese Release price Not Available Cases Produced (12 bottles/case) 3000 Release Date February 2020 Winery/Importer Contact Info selvapiana.it.

Selvapiana, Chianti Rufina 2017, Italy In May 2020 Selvapiana Chianti Rufina 2017 received online reviews both by Matthew Jukes on MatthewJukes.com and by Jane MacQuitty on The Times   "I have written up the Bucerchiale, Vigneto Erchi and Vin Santo from this stellar estate in my MoneyWeek column over the years, but never this glorious estate wine which, again, I have to admit to drinking very regularly indeed at home. Coming from the finest winery in the Florentine environs this is one of the greatest value Chiantis of all time and, can you believe it, unlike almost all of the competition it always drinks well young. Joyous blackberry and spice fruit notes abound and there is a snap of freshness on the finish which reminds you that Rufina is a region blessed with altitude. This is sheer heaven in a glass and you can even chill it a tad when the temperature rises." Matthew Jukes, MoneyWeek Wine Club – May 2020, MatthewJukes.com, 8th May 2020   "Delicious chianti with superb complexity and mouth-filling smoky, floral fruit, part rose, part violet." Jane MacQuitty, A perfect red wine for warm summer days, The Times, 9th May 2020 

Wine Enthusiast ranked Selvapiana 2015 Vigneto Bucerchiale Riserva Chianti Rufina as #12 on their list of Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2019 and rated it 96 points. The full review is below. Selvapiana 2015 Vigneto Bucerchiale Riserva Chianti Rufina 96 POINTS Combining an irresistible pairing of earthy elegance and ageworthy structure, this fragrant, focused red boasts heady scents of smoke, wild berry, pipe tobacco, sunbaked earth and rose petal. The taut linear palate shows lovely tension, delivering juicy Morello cherry, crushed raspberry, baking spice and licorice framed in youthfully firm but refined tannins. Fresh acidity lends balance and energy. Drink 2022–2035.

Antonio Galloni recently published “Chianti Classico 2015 & 2016: Right Place, Right Time” which included the following Selvapiana reviews: 2016 Chianti Rufina – 92 points 2015 Bucerchiale – 91 + points 2014 Bucerchiale – 90 points Download PDF

In November 2018 Selvapiana received a prestigious 91 points from Wine Spectator for the wine Chianti Rufina DOCG 2016. Following the original review: “A focused style,with cherry and plum flavors accented by a smoky note. Juicy and balanced, leaving hints of earth and tobacco on the long finish.”   http://www.dallaterra.com/ Wine Spectator Selvapiana 2016 Chianti Rufina