Chianti Rùfina DOCG Vintages: See Chianti Rùfina DOCG.
2021 Vintage: ‘Warm spring. Early bud break. Late frost in early April lost 25% of the crop at least,’ Federico Giuntini of Fattoria Selvapiana said in this conversation with David Gleave MW. An early April frost caused problems, mainly on sites below 240 m.a.sl. Bud break was irregular due to the cold May. Potential yields diminished further under hot mid-August conditions but cool late August nights dod have a tempering effect. The wines are said to have long aging potential.
2020 Vintage: Said to be ‘well-balanced overall and in line with the best Rufinà vintages.’ Mild winter. Early spring with good early growth. Cold in early April which had an impact on budding. Summer was hot and windy with spells of rain. September saw strong day-night temperature variations. Steady ripening. A very high quality vintage.
2019 Vintage: Federico Giuntini Masseti of Fattoria Selvapiana described 2019 as one of those ‘unique vintages where the growing season was close to perfect.’In this conversation with David Gleave MW, his UK importer Federico compared 2019 to the legendary vintage of 1985, where ‘everything [came] at the right time. Unique. Cold winter with sub-zero temperatures. Good winter rainfall. Very good spring but with a cold weather in early May (like 2017). Rainy spring. Good rain in late August lengthened the ripening period. Wide night-day temperature differences. Late picking. Good yields too. Wines often with 13% alc which in recent years had become rare. Best vintage since 1999 and 1985. In an article for Decanter I wrote ‘2019 was like 1985, a textbook vintage with each stage of the growing season near perfect. Now–2035. Crisp wines with good acidities and ripe tannins. Said to be like 2006 and 2009.
2018 Vintage: 2018 felt the effects from 2017 vintage (spring frosts, a long dry summer giving up to 20% drops in yield). ‘The cold winter, especially over the recent period marked by various rainy and snowy spells was followed by a mixed spring. This is because days of sunshine have alternated with fairly heavy rainfalls. These rains have contributed to re-stabilising the water reserves. Thanks to the higher spring temperatures, the vine’s natural life-cycle ran its course in line with the season. High temperatures were also recorded for the entire summer period. The torrential downpours in the second half of August brought about that relief from the heat that is essential for a magnificent maturing. The varying temperatures in September helped with the aromatic synthesis and to maintaining freshness, typical of the wines produced at Castello Nipozzano,’ according to Castello Nipozzano‘s vintage report.
‘Wines with not much colour from the heat in 2018. Very hot late August and early September. Late rain too affected colour’ said Federico Giuntini of Fattoria Selvapiana in this conversation with David Gleave MW.
“The 2018 vintage was characterized by a mild May with abundant rainfall which allowed for optimal development of the leaf wall. The alternation of rain and clear sky during the summer season mitigated the heat and favoured the vegetative productive balance of the plants. In September, the favorable weather made it possible to complete the fruit veraison process, allowing us to harvest the grapes when they were perfectly ripe before the autumn rains arrived,’ says Castello di Trebbio.
2017 Vintage: A season of weather extremes. ‘Winter 2017 was mild and dry. In spring, the early bud burst brought the growing season forward. There were some spring frosts on lower sites along the Arno and Sieve rivers. During spring, the arrival of sporadic rains restored the vineyards’ water table, guaranteeing a good fruit set, still ahead of time with respect to the previous season. The 2017 harvest began at the end of August, after a hot, dry summer that led to the harvesting of well-ripened grapes, qualitatively rich in body and colour,’ according to Castello Nipozzano’s vintage report.
‘A classic vintage for terroir expression [despite] extreme weather. Winter was fairly cold, with below zero temperatures, with some snow in Pomino. Early bud burst due to warm weather in February and March. Late frost in late April. Summer was one of the hottest and driest in decades. Very early harvest in early September. Healthy grapes but little juice, concentrated wines. Yields 25% down compared to normal’, according to Fattoria Selvapiana’s vintage report.
2016 Vintage: ‘2016 is a splendid vintage. Winter was very mild and rainy. Spring arrived slightly late and was cool, marked by abundant precipitation, especially during the flowering period. Conversely the summer was mild, with very little rainfall from the end of June until harvest. Veraison in August enjoyed high temperatures and was sunny on the whole,’ according to Castello Nipozzano’s vintage report. In an article for Decanter I wrote ‘2016 started cool, moist but the gloom soon gave way to a drier, brighter sunnier 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 now but if you can delay gratification these Rùfina’s will pay bountiful dividends. Now–2035′.
2015 Vintage: ‘In 2015 the grape ripening was excellent, aided by the long summer, high temperatures and favourable climate. The long-awaited warm welcome of winter did not come until the second half of February, slowing the reawakening of the vines which, due to the freezing temperatures, delayed the guttation phase by around ten days. Spring arrived punctually on 21 March. The flowering season was favoured by the alternation of clear days with mild temperatures and below average rainfall as compared to the last five years. The fruiting season began during the summer, which will be remembered as one of the hottest and sunniest of the last decade. July was characterised by days with temperatures above 30 degrees and very little rainfall. The beneficial rains of the first week in August changed the rhythm of the season once again. Autumn brought with it an unexpected change of air, colours and aromas, as well as the beginning of the harvest in September,’ according to Castello Nipozzano’s vintage report.
The report goes on thus: Regular spring. Summer days were very hot, up too 40 degrees C. August also hot, little rain. Cool September. Good phenolic ripeness,’ abridged from Selvapiana’s factsheet for its Vigneto Bucerchiale Riserva 2015. In an article for Decanter I wrote ‘in 2015 some cold winter weather gave way to a sizzling summer in 2015, a vintage producing boldly ripe reds.
Selvapiana’s factsheet for its Vigneto Bucerchiale Riserva 2015 deems 2015 as a ‘classic year. Marries elegance, structure and drinkability. Good winter. Few days below zero. Rains replenished the water table. August also hot, little rain. Cool September. Good phenolic ripeness’.
In an article for Decanter I wrote ‘2015 Some cold winter weather gave way to a sizzling summer in 2015, a vintage producing boldly ripe reds. The best show no sign of raisiny notes, giving fruit with a lovely matt finish to make 2015 the perfect foil for 2016’s glossier, show-stealers. Now–2035′.
2014 Vintage: ‘Winter 2014 was characterised by higher than average temperatures and a mild spring that encouraged an early start for the grapevines’ budding phase. A particularly mild summer with well-spaced out rains brought the growing season back to its normal progression, while heat waves at the end of July and beginning of August positively affected the grapes veraison. The temperature differences between night and day promoted a gradual ripening of the fruit. The particularly positive weather conditions in September contributed to the production of wine with healthy and excellent quality grapes,’ according to Castello Nipozzano’s vintage report.
2013 Vintage: ‘The winter of 2013 was cold, with several days below °0 C and infrequent but significant snowfall. Spring was cool with well distributed rains throughout the season that kept water reserves well supplied throughout the summer when vegetation is at its peak and grapes begin to ripen. Temperatures in summer were below average, except for the heat wave at the end of July and early August, which favoured veraison. The alternating day-night temperatures promoted a gradual ripening of the grapes. September’s weather was particularly favourable and allowed for a linear ripening of healthy and excellent quality grapes,’ according to Castello Nipozzano’s vintage report.
‘A classic cooler vintage. Winter and spring rains replenished groundwater reserves. Flowering 10 days late. Vines caught up. August daytime temperatures were normal but with excellent cold nights. Some late September rain delayed harvest which started early October’, according to Fattoria Selvapiana’s vintage report.
In an article for Decanter I wrote ‘2013 was a cooler year from which the best Rùfina estates produced crisp, smooth, mouthwatering Rùfinas with wonderfully lacey internal intricacy but in a different way to the 2016s, with 2013 providing more of a matt finish to contrast with 2016’s obvious gloss. Now–2030.’
2012 Vintage: ‘Winter 2012 was characterised by cold temperatures reaching below zero in January. In February there was abundant snowfall. The cool spring, with rainy episodes well spread over the season, encouraged the replenishment of the soil on the slopes, guaranteeing good water resources for the vineyards, especially during the summer period, when the vegetation was at its peak and the clusters started to darken and ripen. The summer, on the other hand, hot and dry, was characterised by days with record temperatures of over 35°C and a strong temperature range during the night,’ according to Castello Nipozzano’s vintage report.
2011 Vintage: ‘During August there were two climatic situations of extraordinary importance that, through the forces of the natural elements, shaped the characteristics of the grapes. The first half of August was characterized by sunny days – daytime temperatures never exceed 30° C, and very cold nights. Instead, during the second part of August, the power of the sun gave strength and concentration to the red grapes such as the Sangiovese. The end result is that our red grapes enjoyed an extraordinarily healthy aspect: perfectly ripe, concentrated and rich in polyphenolic material. The harvest of Nipozzano Vecchie Viti was conducted in October. Sangiovese: This variety sometimes proves difficult, but this year at Nipozzano our work has paid off and we are very pleased with the results. The very first harvests were fruity and fresh. Then, taking advantage of a sunny September, we were able to bring the Sangiovese at this estate to a level of maturity, both in pulp and skins, that is achieved only in the best vintages,’ according toCastello Nipozzano’svintage report.
‘Mild, rainy winter. Warmer than usual spring. Bud burst 10 days ahead of usual. Warm April. Good rainfall in May and June for perfect growing. Summer was never too warm with cold nights for good ripening. Above average heat at the end of August. Crop losses of 30-35%. Harvest from first days of September. Rich, healthy, balanced grapes,’ abridged fromSelvapiana’s factsheet for its 2011 Vigneto Bucerchiale Riserva 2011.
2010 Vintage: ‘Spring 2010 was marked by frequent rainstorms, which made life difficult with regard to vineyard operations and anti-fungal efforts, but the rain also had the benefit of building up groundwater reserves. The summer months experienced a rather even alternation of decent rains and sunny days. September brought ideal conditions, with cool nights and warm, sunny days right through to the end of the harvest. The upshot was that the vines performed splendidly, and the fruit arrived in the cellar with optimal ripeness levels. At Castello di Nipozzano, the weather conditions, even and balanced throughout the season, will produce wines of remarkable elegance, bright acidity, and emphatic aromatics, with superb complexity and cellaring potential. After the spring rains, the summer months were marked by mild, sunny conditions that lasted into autumn. September brought some rain, but it did no harm to the health and soundness of the fruit. The fine ripeness levels of the grapes will ensure remarkably fine structures for this year’s wines,’ according to Castello Nipozzano’s vintage report.
In an article for Decanter I wrote ‘2010 is another classic to rank alongside 2013 and 2016 with a propitious mix of sun and rain, heat and cool. The best wines are starting to open, their tannins silky and clear and the tangy red fruit flavours show delicious light menthol notes, especially from vineyards on the higher sites. Now–2035′.
2009 Vintage:‘Mild winter. Bud burst 10 days ahead of the norm. April was quite warm. Good rainfall in May and June for balanced vine growth. No excess heat in summer allied to cold nights for good ripening. Above seasonal average temperatures at the end of August. Harvest in the first days of September,’ says Fattoria Selvapiana in its factsheet for its 2009 Fornace red (made with red Bordeaux varieties).
‘The 2009 harvest for the Frescobaldi wine estates concluded on October 9 with the arrival in the cellars of fruit from its Sangiovese grapes from the Montesodi vineyard. The final results are quite positive with respect to overall fruit quality. Spring followed the pattern set in recent years, with heavy rains that presented a challenge to the vineyard crews tending the vines and protecting them against fungal attacks, but at least the rains built up groundwater reserves. The even, well-paced weather conditions mean 2009 wines of significant elegance and guaranteed cellarability. In contrast to the spring rains, summer brought mild, sunny weather, right into autumn. Light rains arrived in mid-September, but did nothing to harm the sound health of the grapes nor the excellent levels of ripeness,’ according to Castello Nipozzano’s vintage report.
2008 Vintage: ‘The 2008 spring will be remembered as the rainiest of the last few decades, with temperatures dipping well below average. Rain and wind in June, right during the bloom period, led to less than optimal fruit set; the clusters showed smaller-sized grapes. In July and August, however, generous sunlight and warm temperatures in Tuscany partially remedied the slow development. The summer months, including September, were sunny and hot, and sufficient reserves of water in the soil helped ensure ideal ripeness levels across all grape varieties. This mild, sunny weather continued through the harvest period; the absence of rain (it rained only one day during harvest) meant that the cellars were able to carry out operations with ease,’ according to Castello Nipozzano’s vintage report.
2007 Vintage: ‘The first grapes to be picked, in the third week of August, demonstrated that the 2007 Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi harvest was to be outstanding, the natural culmination of a good growing season. During the 2006-07 winter, vineyards in Tuscany benefited from very mild weather, the mildest since 1950. The previous autumn too was very favourable, so that the vines kept their leaves until quite late, excellent conditions that allowed the vineyards to build up reserves that ensured an excellent and promising harvest. The spring months were mild, with scarce rain and little heat stress, conditions that produced sound, healthy fruit on the vines. Thanks to summer-like conditions in April–temperatures in the Maremma even touched 30°C–the growth cycle received a great push, and began a good 2-3 weeks earlier than preceding years,’ according to Castello Nipozzano’s vintage report.
2006 Vintage: ‘The 2006 harvest was completed on October 11. The 2006 harvest is very positive, particularly regarding exceptional levels of fruit quality. Castello di Nipozzano experienced even and balanced growing conditions, with normal amounts of rain during July and August. The year yielded wines of considerable elegance and outstanding ageing potential. Light rains during the summer provided the vines with enough moisture to undergo veraison (change of colour) without problem. Sunny, crisp, dry days in September and October were crucial in developing in the grapes all of the qualities necessary for the production of wines of unsurpassed quality and fine structure’ according to Castello Nipozzano’s vintage report.
2005 Vintage: ‘After a fluctuating growing season that required attentive vineyard supervision, particularly in certain areas, this year’s was a fine harvest indeed. The superb quality of the grapes on Frescobaldi’s various estates was a reward for careful the work and good management decisions throughout the season. In vineyards characterised by deep, well-drained soils, special attention was given to the vines with a generous leaf pulling process and as a result, the grapes are in very good condition. Nipozzano Riserva is elegant, fruity and with good spiciness’ according to Castello Nipozzano’s vintage report.
2004 Vintage: ‘This year harvest begun 15-20 days later than in 2003, when, due to the drought in the spring of that year, the harvest began notably earlier than usual. 2004 was distinguished by its close to normal season, with a cooler spring than those of the preceding years, and a delayed budding. During the summer the temperatures stabilized below the norm for the season, and only in the last two weeks of July did they begin to climb.The soils are well drained yet at the same time have a substantial water reserve. The cool and mild nights will help produce elegant wines. The bunches are sparse, and the berries are in very good condition, both in terms of size as well as structure and concentration’ according to Castello Nipozzano’s vintage report.
2003 Vintage: ‘At the Castello di Nipozzano estate, the harvest was extremely favorable. The harvesting of the Merlot began during the last week in August, and that of the Sangiovese began in mid September,’ according to Castello Nipozzano’s 2003 vintage report.
2002 Vintage: ‘At Castello di Nipozzano the temperatures on the average are slightly lower in respect to the other areas of Tuscany. Therefore the lower temperatures during the summer months did not affect the quality of the grapes which immediately showed themselves to be in good condition, thanks also to the attentive care given to the vineyards during the season as well as during the harvest. The quality of the Sangiovese from Nipozzano is very good. The harvest ended around the second week of October’ according to Castello Nipozzano’s vintage report.
2001 Vintage: ‘The harvest got under way on September 3rd and concluded on October 18th with the picking of the Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. The quality of the 2001 production appears very good. Even though temperatures were high during August, the vines continued to thrive thanks to the water reserves in the soil built up from the rainfall in August. The rain in early September proved valuable, especially for the ripening of the Sangiovese. The showers also washed the dust from the summer months off of the vines. With very intense reflections and a surprising structure, the Sangiovese at Nipozzano is considered to be of excellent quality,’ according to Castello Nipozzano‘s vintage report.
2000 Vintage: ‘Harvest at the Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi estates began this year on August 28th. The grapes, which ripened 7-10 days earlier this year, were harvested in excellent condition and are rich in sugars and polyphenols thanks to a spring with periods of rain, followed by periods of sunshine. A mild summer with sparse rains helped to avoid drought and stress on the vines, and the heat during the second half of August further promoted sugar concentration. The Sangiovese grapes ripened early this year, and are rich in anthocyanins and tannins, with elevated levels of alcohol and low acidity,’ according to Castello Nipozzano‘s vintage report.
1999 Vintage: ‘The grapes are extremely fruit-forward with evolved tannins and low acids; in general the wines have great structure and should be very long-lived, Weather throughout the growing season was normal, with lots of sunshine in July and only sparse rains in August. An Indian summer in September and October, gave the grapes a perfect environment to bask in the sun and mature,’ according to Castello Nipozzano‘s vintage report.
1998 Vintage: ‘The heat of the summer months provoked a precocious maturation of the berries, thus the wines will be characterized by superior softness and low acidity. Even the Sangiovese which is a variety known to be “rough”, will be in 1998, softer with velvety tannins,’ according to the Castello Nipozzano vintage report.
1997 Vintage: ‘At Castello di Nipozzano in Chianti Rùfina the spring freeze did not affect the vineyards. The Sangiovese vines, which are grown in the highest part of the estate were completely unaffected; the late bloom, which is typical of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, saved these varietals. Because the grapes matured more quickly than usual, they offer concentrated sugar, rich colours, and delicious tannins,’ according to Castello Nipozzano‘s vintage report.
1985 Vintage: 1985 was a legendary vintage at Fattoria Selvapiana. ‘The best in 35 years,’ as told by Federico Giuntini quoting his (Federico’s) father in this conversation with David Gleave MW.