Chianti Classico has been riding a wave of success in recent years. An abundance of high quality wines at relatively low prices has enhanced its already strong brand; with progressive amendments to the appellation such as the Gran Selezione tier and recent implementation of UGA, the zone is formidable competition and hoovers up lots of attention. Meanwhile, the quietly improving wines emerging from the ‘other’ Chianti DOCG drift quietly under the radar.
As talk of climate change, excessive heat, water stress, and the search for higher altitude vines pervades the wine world however, we might want to look again at some of the sub-zone terroirs of this sprawling appellation. In particular, the small territory of Rùfina stands out. Here, the high elevation and steep, well drained vineyards give a lighter, fresher expression of Sangiovese, one with aromatic complexity and distinctive minerality. What could be more on trend?
Rùfina, just north east of the Florentine hills, is an area of historically important estates, many of which boast prestigious villas and renaissance pedigree. Despite its proximity to Florence, it has struggled to make its voice heard. At Fattoria di Grignano, a property once owned by Caterina de Medici, we find a young entrepreneur working hard to transition his family estate into a viable winery and help shape a new identity for the wines of Rùfina. Following some valuable marketing experience at Ferrero Rocher, Tommaso Inghirami took over in 2018 and has injected new energy and new ideas.
Grignano was purchased by his family in the 1970s following success in the textile and real estate business. The estate’s wine production was generally treated as a hobby project, more of a place to host friends and celebrate than a commercial operation. Tommaso is the first in his family with the chance to work full time in Grignano, and must find the balance between raising quality across the board, respecting tradition and standing out in a noisy crowd of thousands of other Chianti producers.
He notes that the first job was to get back to the basics. There were staff that had been working there for decades and held much of the knowledge about the vineyards and winemaking activities in their heads. “The first thing I did was try to understand what happened previously. I tasted all the back vintages to understand what we had in the cellar, to understand which are the characteristics of Grignano. I realised quite quickly that Sangiovese here delivers acidity and therefore, longevity.”
This longevity chimes with Rùfina‘s longstanding reputation to give age worthy wines. Tommaso is enthused. “I personally think the Rùfina area has great potential, not only in the future, but right now. The freshness that we have because of the Apennine Mountains, the presence of the River Arno and Sieve, and the relatively high altitude all give great freshness. This is our character. For this last harvest(2023), I decided to pick a little earlier, but in general, our wines are between 12.5% and 13.5%. This is my philosophy and where I want my wines to be. I don’t like marmalade wines”.
“This is a niche zone. All the producers here make great wines. When we do our blind tastings there are some that put up a good fight against Brunello. We must promote that uniqueness. We can’t compete with the other sub zones. There are thousands of producers of Chianti. Frankly, I’m not sure we should play against them. I’m thinking with our colleagues and trying to understand if we can make another appellation without using the the name chianti. It’s a well known wine, but it’s also very commercial. We have one of the lowest yields in the country. If we reach 40 q/ha we are lucky. Yet, the market asks us to compete with other Chianti. We shouldn’t be doing that.”
Tommaso’s ideas on the future of Rùfina are thought provoking and it will be interesting to see how this little collection of about 20 producers decide to shape their collective future. His main focus though is on the day to day at Grignano, where he continues to refine the proposition and bring balance to the portfolio. The introduction of new entry level red, white and rose wines provides a contemporary face. At just 33 he’s keen to ensure that the simple, casual pleasure of drinking wine with friends isn’t forgotten amidst the dusty references to history, tradition and age worthy Riservas.
The main adjustment to date though is in the maturation of his wines. “When I did my first vintage in 2018 I started by maturing the serious Sangiovese in big barrel. We now do smaller vinifications in steel and concrete. I believe Chianti from Rufina must speak more of Sangiovese and less of oak, especially for the entry level wines. Our entry level should be fresh. The Riserva must age in oak as part of the rules, but my idea is to maintain the freshness as much as possible, so I won’t use barrique any more. I want Poggio Gualtieri to taste of grapes.”
In tasting through a vertical dating back 25 years, the aim was to seek insight into what the territory of Rùfina is capable of. Clearly, the majority of these wines were made before Tommaso’s full time involvement, but these notes and scores reveal the potential of his vineyards. What stands out most is their ability to age. Even the 1997, now 25 years old, has plenty of energy. It could, I suggest, go on for a while longer yet. With the benefit of a clear vision, and greater dedication to that vision in the vineyard and cellar, the future at Grignano is very exciting. This is a project worth following closely, for in Poggio Gualtieri, Tommaso has a vehicle through which he can seriously add to the momentum of quality gathering pace in the territory of Rùfina.
Chianti DOCG Rùfina ‘Poggio Gualtieri’ 2018 by Fattoria di Grignano
A nose of cool red fruit, cranberry and raspberry, with hints of orange citurs. Noticeable freshness on the palate. Tart fruit, sour cherry. Lovely rusticity created by racy acidity and young tannin. Sweet cranberry on the finish. 92 points
Chianti DOCG Rùfina ‘Poggio Gualtieri’ 2015 by Fattoria di Grignano
Scents of strawberry and plum. Leafy, herbal notes. Fresh red fruit. Subtle dustiness on the palate. Supple, but full of lean red berry fruit. Dry and structured, with prominent acidity. Very good concentration on the finish. 91 points
Chianti DOCG Rùfina ‘Poggio Gualtieri’ 2013 by Fattoria di Grignano
Again, a light expression. Sinewy red fruit. Fragrant, faint berry fruit mixed with violets. A linear, clean wine. Poised. Still a touch tight, but some room for expression in the coming years. Opens a little more with time. Interesting to note the freshness in what was a warm vintage in 2013. Softening tannin but very present acidity. 90 points
Chianti DOCG Rùfina ‘Poggio Gualtieri’ 2008 by Fattoria di Grignano
More intense on the nose than others. A streak of balsam, moss, mushroom and black cherry. Some liquorice. Some intensity. Grainy texture. Beautiful tension between evolution and the remnants of fading red fruit. Faint violet in there. Pleasant mouthfeel. Still has structure and tannin, supported by some fruit. Weightier toasting perhaps. At this age the oak influence adds rather than detracts, giving it a certain presence. 91 points
Chianti DOCG Rùfina ‘Poggio Gualtieri’ 2001 by Fattoria di Grignano
Slightly dusty nose. Some sour cherry notes. The nose is slightly closed. Light to medium bodied. Some faint earth. Subtle spice. There’s still some remnants of structure. Very hot year, but sturdy balanced structure. Elegance in terms of the faint red fruit. Some charm to it. 91 points
Chianti DOCG Rùfina ‘Poggio Gualtieri’ 1997 by Fattoria di Grignano
Slightly ethereal notes developing. Attractive earthiness. Some moss, forest floor. Savoury character. A little herbal. Structured on the palate, primary fruit has faded. Some orange rind. Initially felt it was tired and had shed too much fruit. With time in the glass it seemed to find another level. Some oakier notes unravelled themselves from black cherry and raspberry. Body still in shape. A wine that still has things to say. 91 points