Events

Selvapiana, Chianti Rufina flagship estate
«Magnum» №6-7(19) June-July 2007

The open wine event Alla Corte del Vino that is held annually in Tuscany featured a vertical tasting of Fattoria Selvapiana wines.

The Chianti Rufina flagship estate has long produced one of the most respected wines in Chianti. The tasting was commented by Gambero Rosso chief editor Daniele Cernilli, an influential wine expert Paolo Baracchino, the consulting enologist Franco Bernabei and Selvapiana managing director Federico Giuntini.

The Fattoria Selvapiana has been in the hands of the Giuntini family since 1827. It has 240 hectares of land, with 45 hectares of vineyards. The winemaking success is connected with Francesco Giuntini who until recently was nearly the only person who fought for quality in Chianti Rufina area. Franco Bernabei has worked as consultant winemaker in Fattoria Selvapiana for nearly 30 years. Production revolves around Sangiovese wines. The range includes regular Chianti Rufina and two single vineyard wines — Bucerchiale and Fornace. The total annual production is over 200,000 bottles. In the last fifty years the estate has gathered a significant archive of older vintages. They are used for vertical tastings spanning several decades and prove a long evolution typical for Fattoria Selvapiana wines.

Chianti Rufina Riserva 1966. A wonderful vintage, according to Daniele Cernilli. The wine of nice, bright pomegranate colour with brown hue. Evolved aromas of smoke, tar, wet earth, dried red fruit. The palate is fresh, with silky texture. The style is similar to that of old Barolo thanks to sweet earthy notes. The wine has kept a great density. The finish is on the nuances of dried fruit. This sample can be easily called the forbearer of supertuscan wines. +++

Chianti Rufina Riserva Vigneto Bucerchiale 1979. Limpid, bright pomegranate colour, quite young for the wine’s age. Fine, integrated, complex aromas are dominated by dried cherries. “The wine is fresher than the 1966 vintage”, noted Cernilli. Pure Sangiovese character. A full palate with expressed red dried fruit, licorice, chocolate and soft spice. Soft, persistent finish. +++

Chianti Rufina Riserva Vigneto Bucerchiale 1981. Bright pomegranate colour with a brown rim. More developed colour than in 1979. “The vintage was hot, the aromas are nearly sweet, very soft, with a note of honey”, said Cernilli. The palate is with live acidity, rich, deep, juicy tones of fresh and dried cherries, with pronounced tannic support. A full, lush, bright, spicy, persistent finish. The first wine where the level of alcohol exceeded 13 degrees (13.3 degrees). +++

Chianti Rufina Riserva 1985. First “tropical” vintage, the grapes were overripe. Cernilli called the wine “a huge atomic bomb”. Bright pomegranate colour. The aromas are built on dried cherries and red berries. The palate is fresh, vigorous thanks to good acidity, with expressive fruity tone and powerful tannic structure. Persistent finish. +++

Chianti Rufina Riserva Vigneto Bucerchiale 1995. Cernilli recalls the year as “rather strange”. The vintage was difficult, with a lot of rain, but it was saved by hot autumn. The colour is practically undeveloped, a slight yellow nuance at the rim hints at the age. Elegant, fine aromas with notes of autumn leaves. An intense, fresh, black cherry palate. Modernist style, complex, deep. The finish is powerful and very long . +++

Chianti Rufina Riserva 1997. The yields were 30% lower than usual. An intense, bright ruby colour, unevolved. Some animal notes in aromas. Bright, concentrated palate, but differs from 1995 vintage as leans more towards black berries, cedar tones, chocolate and spice. Tannins are still slightly aggressive, but without the oakiness. The level of alcohol has reached 14 degrees. ++(+)

Chianti Rufina Riserva Vigneto Bucerchiale 1999. Intense dark ruby colour. Bright, ripe cherry and meaty aromas. A masculine wine, very concentrated, powerful, with dark fruit, great tannic structure, light bitterness of taste. The wine is still at the early evolution stage. +++

Chianti Rufina Riserva Vigneto Bucerchiale 2001. April frosts caused lower yields. A hot year when grapes ripened two weeks earlier than usual. An appealing ruby colour. Elegant, fresh wine, with ripe black fruit, a good but not overpowering structure, tannins are young and slightly aggressive. ++(+)