Cantina Ripoli is a wine company whose winery is located in Barberino Val d’Elsa in the Chianti Classico DOCG region of Tuscany.

Owner: Francesco Sarri founded the business. Francesco worked as a sommelier, and in 2014 decided to make wine. Francesco’s father (d.2018 aged 92) had worked for Melini.

Vineyards: No estate vineyards. At the 2019 Anteprima Francesco Sarri told me he was buying grapes from vineyards in Radda in Chianti from vines at 400m on a mix of soils: calcareous, alberese, and galestro. 

Winemaking: Hand picked into small boxes. Sarri told me (2019 Anteprima) it was his, not the vineyard owner’s, decision on when to pick.

Red wines

Chianti Classico DOCG, Cantina Ripoli: 2016 100% Sangiovese. Debut vintage. 4,500 bottles. Cement tanks. No fining or filtration. Tidy fruit with decent depth. | 2017 100% Sangiovese. | 2018 100% Sangiovese.

Bibliography

Chianti Classico Anteprima 2019, Stazione Leopolda, Florence on Monday 11th February.