Fattoria Selvapiana

The story of Selvapiana begins in medieval Tuscany, when the site served as a fortified watchtower in the hills above the Sieve Valley east of Florence. During the Renaissance the structure was enlarged into a summer residence for the bishops of Florence, acquiring the graceful architecture that still defines the property today. In 1827 Florentine banker Michele Giuntini purchased the estate, establishing the family ownership that has continued without interruption for nearly two centuries. The modern chapter opened when Francesco Giuntini inherited the property in 1953 and set about transforming it into a quality-focused producer, bringing in consulting enologist Franco Bernabei in 1978. That collaboration immediately bore fruit: Selvapiana released one of Tuscany's first 100% Sangiovese Chianti Riservas in 1978 and launched the single-vineyard Bucerchiale bottling in 1979, years before single-vineyard Chianti became fashionable.

• Estate origins trace to a medieval watchtower, later expanded as a Renaissance bishops' summer villa
• Purchased by banker Michele Giuntini in 1827, beginning nearly 200 years of unbroken family ownership
• Franco Bernabei joined as consulting enologist in 1978 and has remained in that role ever since
• Pioneering 100% Sangiovese Chianti Riserva produced in 1978; Bucerchiale single-vineyard followed in 1979

The estate is formally owned by Francesco Giuntini Antinori, the fifth-generation heir, but day-to-day operations have been led since 1997 by Federico Giuntini Masseti and his sister Silvia Giuntini Masseti, who were adopted children of the previous owner and brought a fresh sense of purpose to the property. Federico in particular has shaped Selvapiana's modern identity, championing organic viticulture from 1987 onward and steering the estate through its most productive creative period. The sixth generation stepped into the cellar in 2018 when Niccolo Giuntini, Federico's eldest son, assumed the role of head winemaker, ensuring continuity while bringing contemporary perspective. Federico's position as president of the Chianti Rufina Consorzio has amplified the family's influence across the entire subzone, making Selvapiana's standards a touchstone for neighboring producers.

• Federico and Silvia Giuntini Masseti have managed operations since 1997 as adopted heirs of the previous generation
• Niccolo Giuntini became head winemaker in 2018, representing the sixth generation in the cellar
• Federico Giuntini Masseti serves as president of the Chianti Rufina Consorzio
• Franco Bernabei remains consulting enologist, providing continuity from 1978 to the present day

Selvapiana's 250-hectare estate at Pontassieve encompasses 60 hectares under vine, 36 hectares of olive groves, and substantial forest, giving the property a distinctly agricultural character beyond wine alone. The vineyards sit at 150 to 300 meters elevation, where cool air descending from the Apennines and channelled through the Sieve Valley produces the naturally high acidity and firm structure that distinguish Chianti Rufina from warmer Tuscan subzones. The jewel is the Bucerchiale vineyard: 12.5 hectares planted between 1968 and 2001 on south-west facing slopes at 150 to 200 meters, the source of the estate's most celebrated Riserva. The Erchi vineyard, purchased in 1998 and planted in 1999 across 6 south-facing hectares with a warmer microclimate, became the source of a second single-vineyard Riserva from the 2016 vintage and is slated to expand to 8 hectares following replanting after a 2021 fire. A further 6 hectares are farmed under the Pomino DOC at the foothills of the Apennines.

• Bucerchiale: 12.5 hectares, south-west facing, 150-200 meters, planted 1968-2001, source of the flagship Riserva
• Vigneto Erchi: 6 hectares purchased 1998, south-facing with warmer microclimate, first single-vineyard Riserva produced in 2016
• Elevation range of 150-300 meters delivers cool Apennine air via the Sieve Valley, hallmark of Chianti Rufina's cooler character
• 6 hectares under Pomino DOC, one of only two estates with rights to produce that rare appellation

Selvapiana's approach to winemaking is defined by restraint and respect for site, beginning in the vineyard where organic practices introduced in 1987 were formally certified in 2019. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel with temperature control and relies on natural yeasts, a choice that preserves the distinctive character of each vineyard. Extended maceration runs between 25 and 35 days, drawing structure and complexity from the skins without excessive extraction. Aging employs a combination of large Slavonian oak casks and French barriques, balancing the integration of oxygen with preservation of fruit. The Chianti Rufina base wine is a blend of 95% Sangiovese with Canaiolo, Colorino, and Malvasia Nera, while both Riservas are 100% Sangiovese; Bucerchiale is produced only in the finest vintages, having been withheld in eight declared years since its 1979 debut.

• Certified organic since 2019; organic practices in place since 1987 under Federico Giuntini Masseti
• Natural yeast fermentation in stainless steel with temperature control; maceration of 25-35 days
• Bucerchiale and Erchi Riservas are 100% Sangiovese; base Chianti Rufina blends Canaiolo, Colorino, and Malvasia Nera
• Aging in both large Slavonian oak casks and French barriques; Bucerchiale withheld in off-vintages since 1979

Selvapiana occupies a singular position in Italian wine: it is the producer most responsible for placing Chianti Rufina on the map as a serious, age-worthy subzone with its own distinctive cool-climate identity. At a time when Chianti meant blended, often uninspiring wine, Francesco Giuntini and Franco Bernabei released a 100% Sangiovese Riserva and a named single-vineyard bottling that forced the wine world to take Rufina seriously. The estate is also one of only two producers entitled to make Pomino DOC, a rare appellation that adds further breadth to its portfolio. Its commitment to organic farming, predating certification by more than three decades, reflects a philosophy grounded in long-term land stewardship rather than trend-following. With Niccolo Giuntini now at the cellar helm and Erchi expanding, Selvapiana continues to set the standard for what Chianti Rufina can achieve.

• Pioneered single-vineyard Chianti Rufina Riserva with Bucerchiale in 1979, decades before the format became widespread
• One of only two Pomino DOC producers in existence, sharing the appellation with Frescobaldi
• Organic farming practised from 1987 and certified 2019, placing sustainability ahead of commercial convenience
• Erchi Riserva, introduced from 2016, represents the Chianti Rufina Terraelectae top category established in 2018