Appellation laws permit up to 30 percent international varieties like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in the Chianti sub-zone bottlings. Selvapiana has admirably based its Chianti Rufina entirely on indigenous grapes; in this 2016 vintage, the blend is 95 percent Sangiovese topped with Canaiolo, Colorino, and Malvasia Nera. The fruit is organically grown in dry clay-limestone soils, then vinified in stainless steel. The wine aged for ten months in a mix of oak cask and used barriques.
The robe is rosy with a light orange rim, and the perfume mingles dried fruits, ripe fruits, potpourri, and spice. The palate delivers classic Sangiovese flavors of cherries, plums, and sweet tobacco, while the oak aging notes stay in check. It’s a wine in balance: friendly yet elegant, fruity yet structured. Try it with mushroom risotto, braised meats, sausages, aged cheese.
2016 Selvapiana Chianti Rufina DOCG
14% abv | $19 (sample) Imported by Dalla Terra
