Fattoria Selvapiana Vigneto Bucerchiale Chianti Rufina Riserva DOCG 2022

Fattoria Selvapiana sits in Chianti Rufina, the small, cool, high-altitude zone east of Florence that gives Sangiovese more freshness and firmer structure than the warmer parts of Chianti. Francesco Giuntini took over the estate in 1957 and saw the potential to make a single-variety Sangiovese from a single vineyard, the Bucerchiale plot, and this Riserva is produced only in the best vintages. The elevation and cooler nights of Rufina slow ripening and preserve the acidity and tannin that let Sangiovese age, while the local soils lend the wine its earthy backbone. After fermentation it spends ten months in oak, where slow oxygen exchange softens the tannin and adds a savoury, cedar edge to the fruit. The colour is a deep garnet. The nose shows cherry and plum alongside leather, tobacco and dried herbs, with earth underneath. The palate is medium to full bodied, firmly tannic and bright with acidity, finishing long and savoury. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees, ideally decanted an hour ahead, in a large bowled glass. It suits roast and braised red meats.