Selvapiana Vin Santo del Chianti Rufina 2018

Selvapiana Vin Santo del Chianti Rufina

Region: Tuscany, Italy

Vintage: 2018

Bottle size: 50cl

Grape: Trebbiano

ABV: 13%

Deep amber in colour with perfumes of dried fruits on the nose. This wine is intense, rich and luscious. The sweetness is balanced by good acidity and concentration, ensuring a long, fresh finish.

The grapes are grown in a two-hectare vineyard situated in Chianti Rufina, north east of Florence. The vineyard faces north-east and is situated 200 metres above sea level. The vines are approximately 18-years-old and are planted at a density of 3,200 per hectare.

The grapes are hung to dry in the cellar before being pressed. The must is then racked into caratelli - small oak and chestnut barrels ranging from 50 to 200 litres - which are sealed with concrete. Fermentation and ageing take place in these vessels for seven years with no intervention. Selvapiana does not use a ‘madre’ (starter culture of yeast lees); fermentation begins with the grapes’ wild yeasts. At the end of the ageing period, the wine represents only 18–20% of the initial yield.

Rufina is the smallest of Chianti’s subzones, comprising only 600 hectares of vineyards, yet it is also one of the most special. Here, the cool breeze that blows down the Sieve Valley creates exceptional wines with a finesse and definition that few others in Chianti Classico can match. There is no better producer in Rufina than Selvapiana, which has been in the family of Francesco Giuntini since 1827.