Reviews

Chianti Rufina: new releases
«Vinnaya Karta» №6(107) November 2009

Rufina is the smallest of seven Tuscan areas which produce Chianti wines.

Starting from 2007, the consortium of Chianti Rufina runs annual tastings of the latest released wines.

Chianti Rufina wine zone is located on the hills near Florence — so close that some vineyards dub as a viewing point of the Tuscan capital. The area is also known as “Il piu alto fra i Chianti”, that is the highest of all Chianti where vineyards can climb to 500-600 metres above sea level. Wine is produced in five communes — Rufina, Pontassieve, Londa, Pelago and Dicomano. Total area covers 12,500 hectares. Rufina vineyards are planted on approximately 750 hectares, and another 250 are young vines, not yet in production.

Calcareous friable soils galestro and compact alberese, southern exposition, high altitude and good differences between day and night temperatures create superb conditions for cultivating Sangiovese in Chianti Rufina. Wines are floral, with good volume and persistency, remarkable elegance and good evolution potential.

These wines were distinguished from others throughout centuries, and in 1716 the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III singled out the territory of modern Chianti Rufina as one of four outstanding Tuscan zones. Rufina as a DOCG status in the modern hierarchy of Italian wine regions. Recently a long term research of local terroirs was concluded under the guidance of renowned Italian professor Attilio Scienza. Eleven subzones were defined in Chianti Rufina as a result.

Around 300 agricultural estates work in the wine sector, but less than 30 vinify and bottle wines. The majority of producers, including the only cooperative, are members of the Chianti Rufina consortium. Annual production is around 27,000 hectolitres, or 3,6 mln bottles of Chianti Rufina DOCG, of which two thirds are exported.

Anteprima Chianti Rufina is a new initiative of the consortium which allows wine professionals and journalists taste new releases at one event. New Chianti Rufina wines are sold starting from September the following year after the harvest, whilst Chianti Rufina Riserva is released later in January. A compromise date for Anteprima is chosen in the middle of November. The latest tasting featured Chianti Rufina 2007 and Chianti Rufina Riserva 2006.

Before discussing results, I’d like to mention another important event that takes place within Anteprima Chianti Rufina. Producers hold a separate tasting of old vintages in order to prove that local wines have superb potential for aging. Wine made 1955 and 1985 were featured at the previous tasting. This time a selection of wines from the eighties and the nineties was presented. These tastings are very valuable because wineries (all over Italy, not just in Chianti Classico) up to 21 century seldom created wine archives. Today bottles of old vintages, even 15-20 years old, are rarely found at the estates. Fattoria Selvapiana is one of the exceptions that built up an impressive collection of bottles spanning over a few decades. These wines now provide great evidence that Chianti Rufina can indeed impressively evolve in bottle throughout decades.

Historic part of the tasting included Fattoria Lavacchio Riserva 1999, Fattoria di Grignano Poggio Gualtieri Riserva 1998, Marchesi Gondi Tenuta Bossi Riserva 1997, Castello di Nipozzano Montesodi 1991, Marchesi Gondi Tenuta Bossi Riserva 1990, Fattoria Selvapiana Riserva 1985, Travignoli Riserva 1983 and Colognole Riserva 1981. Most memorable were Marchesi Gondi Tenuta Bossi Riserva 1990 (17,5 points), Fattoria Selvapiana Riserva 1985 (17 points) and Marchesi Gondi Tenuta Bossi Riserva 1997 (17 points). On a 20-point scale 17-18,5 range means an outstanding wine of special beauty and expression. It should be noted that Tenuta Bossi always remained traditional. Even if its young wines are less appreciated in the presence of modern style wines, they win when old, well aged bottles are uncorked. Generally speaking, great Chianti Rufina wines sing praise to elegant, refined, intriguing Sangiovese with its freshness, wonderful floral aromas of violets, inimitable cherry suppleness, silky-velvety tannic texture that is extremely hard to achieve, dramatic complexity of flavours and persistent, expressive finish.

Moving onto new releases, vintages 2006 and 2007 were superb. In 2007, all stages of vine development were timely thanks to excellent weather. In 2006 the quality of grapes was also high, and wines exhibit excellent structure and typical Chianti Rufina bouquet. When commenting on vintage developments on Montesodi property, Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi vice president Lamberto Frescobaldi said, "I must say that I like 2006 very much, thus I am not an impartial judge. Winter was cold, and there was good snow in Nipozzano. Bud break was delayed by a week but I personally prefer late bud break because frosts do not affect the crop. Then we had a very nice hot summer, with the right amount of water which didn’t stress the plants. September and October were mostly dry. As for 2007, it is another great harvest. Starting from mid August, the temperature was balanced, with very few rains in September and October. Berries were small sized, with nice thick skin, maturity happened gradually". The volume of produced wine was usual in 2007 and slightly smaller in 2006.

The tasting of new releases took place in Villa Poggio Reale in Rufina, the headquarters of the consortium that also houses a curious museum exposition on winegrowing and winemaking.

All consortium producers, except for Tenute Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari and Fattoria Caiano, sent their samples to the tasting. In total there were 38 wines — 17 Chianti Rufina and 21 Chianti Rufina Riserva. It is not easy to generalise about overall quality of the area. Though the number of producers is limited to just over twenty, the tasting had a couple of unacceptable wines, as well as some superb, impressive examples. There were bottles with obvious commercial character, but also interesting, well made examples. Besides, wines greatly differ by vinification styles. Some highlight genuine character of grapes whilst others are too extracted and oaky (unfortunately, they are not in minority). This is the reality of Chianti Rufina, and there is lot to be improved. Fortunately, there are enough quality leaders who set good example — Fattoria Selvapiana, Colognole, Frascole, Travignoli, Fattoria di Grignano and some others.

Some of the best Chianti Rufina 2007 were Frascole, Selvapiana, Villa Travignoli and Il Pozzo, whilst notable Chianti Rufina Riserva 2006 included Selvapiana Vigneto Bucerchiale, Colognole Riserva del Don, Villa Travignoli, Castello di Nipozzano Vigneto Montesodi and Marchesi Gondi Tenuta Bossi San Giuliano.