Chianti Rùfina

Sangiovese vines love the fresh air and bright conditions in this hilly country to the north of the headline-grabbing Classico zone. While it may be lesser-known, Chianti Rùfina offers quality, characterful red wines of superb value and great consistency

- MONTY WALDIN

When asked to name my best-value premium, estate-grown Tuscan reds, my choices are Rosso di Montalcino DOC and Chianti Rùfina DOCG. Both are based on Tuscany’s signature Sangiovese grape. However, whereas Rosso di Montalcino is often made from Sangiovese offcuts deemed not up to the standard required for Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Rùfina is made only from the prime cuts, making it stylistically more consistent.

Chianti Rùfina is the smallest of the seven denominations within the wider, sprawling Chianti DOCG. Only 750ha of vineyards are registered to produce Chianti Rùfina, although there is officially room for 300ha more. Of its 20-plus producers, the largest by far is Marchesi Frescobaldi’s Castello Nipozzano.

Chianti Rùfina’s average annual production of 3.5 million bottles accounts for about 4% of the total output of the wider Chianti DOCG, which makes Rùfina the third most productive region with the word Chianti in its name, following Chianti Classico DOCG and Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG respectively.

Chianti Rùfina: vintages to seek out

2019 Like 1985, a textbook vintage with each stage of the growing season near perfect. Drink from now to 2035.

2016 Started cool and damp but the gloom soon gave way to a drier, brighter season. This produced smooth, moreish Rùfina reds with sparkling fruit and silky, symmetrical tannins adding a delicious, umami-like salinity. They are incredibly hard to resist, but if you can delay gratification these Rùfinas will pay bountiful dividends. Drink to 2035.