Frescobaldi's old-vine selection from Castello Nipozzano: a Chianti Rufina Riserva of Sangiovese aged 24 months in Tuscan oak. Red cherry, violet and spice frame bright acidity and fine tannin, a structured Tuscan red for grilled meats.
Frescobaldi draws this wine from the oldest vines at Castello Nipozzano and ages it 24 months in Tuscan oak botti. Expect red and black cherry, violet and a savoury, peppery edge, with the bright acidity and fine tannin that mark high-elevation Chianti Rufina.
Red and black cherry lead, lifted by violet and a dusting of black pepper and cinnamon spice that Frescobaldi notes from the old-vine fruit at Castello Nipozzano. Air brings a savoury, earthy note of tobacco and forest floor typical of high-elevation Rufina Sangiovese.
Violet
Black cherry
Blackberry
Plum
Forest Floor
Leather
Black pepper
CinnamonMedium to full bodied, with the bright acidity and fine, supple tannin of Sangiovese grown in the cool Rufina hills. Blackberry and gooseberry fruit noted by the producer carry a savoury, peppery depth from 24 months in Tuscan oak botti; Vivino drinkers consistently flag its elegance and balance.
Long and savoury, closing on a hint of juniper berry and a juicy, mineral freshness rather than heavy oak.
A serious, food-friendly Chianti Rufina Riserva that drinks above its roughly 27 pound price; Vivino drinkers rate it around 4.0 to 4.1 across recent vintages, and it sits in the heart of Frescobaldi's Nipozzano range, between the standard Riserva and the single-vineyard Montesodi.
Three UK merchants list the wine between 27 and 33 pounds a bottle, with the 2021 the most widely stocked vintage. At that price it sits a clear step above everyday Chianti, reflecting the old-vine selection and Riserva ageing.
Scored across food, value, cellaring and occasion using its Chianti Rufina Riserva profile, 27 pound entry price and old-vine Sangiovese structure.
Medium-tannin Sangiovese with bright acidity is a benchmark food red, equally at home with grilled meat, tomato pasta and hard cheese.
A classic, recognisable Tuscan Sangiovese is easy to enjoy, though the Riserva's savoury, structured edge is a touch more serious than entry Chianti.
A DOCG Riserva from old vines with 24 months in oak has the structure to gain for several years, into the early 2030s for the 2021.
A recognised Frescobaldi estate Riserva at 27 to 33 pounds is a confident dinner-party choice, if short of trophy-bottle status.
Scoring is rule-based and deterministic. The model and weightings are documented in our editorial methodology.
A compact view of what the Chianti denomination actually requires, and how this bottle sits inside it. Pulled from the official Italian disciplinare.
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Both vintages on shelf come from strong Tuscan years: 2021 a warm, dry, concentrated season and 2019 a balanced, classically structured one, each given 24 months in cask before release.
A warm, dry 2021 growing season gave concentrated, ripe Sangiovese, balanced by the cool nights of the high Rufina hills. Firmly structured with fine tannin, it is drinking well now and will hold through the late 2020s.
2019 was a balanced, classic Tuscan vintage with a long, even ripening season, giving Sangiovese of freshness and finesse. Now in a fine drinking window, with the structure to hold a few more years.
Drink-now / hold guidance reflects general style cues for this wine, not a forecast for a specific bottle. Where vintage-level editorial notes exist, they appear above.
The fruit is the deepest-rooted old-vine Sangiovese at Castello Nipozzano, vinified by spontaneous fermentation in concrete and matured two years in large oak. Those choices, plus Riserva ageing and UK duty, sit behind the 27 to 33 pound shelf price.
Italian wine law sorts bottles into a pyramid. DOCG sits at the top: tightly drawn boundaries, prescribed grapes, mandatory ageing, government tasting before release. DOC is the same idea with looser thresholds. IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) is broader still, requiring only that 85% of the grapes come from the named territory.
Chianti is in the DOCG tier. That is not a quality verdict, it is a description of how much freedom the producer has at vinification and ageing.
Chianti falls within Tuscany , covering Tuscany. The denomination is further divided into 7 sub-zones.
Frescobaldi states the wine comes from the estate's oldest, deepest-rooted vines; their low yields concentrate fruit and cost far more per bottle than young-vine Chianti.
The producer matures the wine two years in oak casks before release; cooperage and the cost of holding stock lift the price over young, unoaked Chianti.
Rufina Riserva sits above basic Chianti DOCG: cooler, higher hills east of Florence and Riserva ageing rules add growing and maturation cost.
UK duty is 2.67 pounds on a 75cl still wine under 15% ABV at 2026 rates, and 20% VAT on a 27 pound bottle adds about 4.50, so roughly 7 pounds of the price is tax.
Importer, distributor and retailer margins on a branded Tuscan estate wine support a 27 to 33 pound UK shelf price across the three merchants stocking it.
As estate-grown native Sangiovese with no purchased grapes or costly international varieties, base fruit cost stays below a comparable Super-Tuscan, tempering the price.
Dishes that complement this wine
The wine's bright Sangiovese acidity and firm but fine tannin are built for fat and savoury depth, from bistecca alla fiorentina to tomato-rich lasagna and aged pecorino.
Sangiovese's firm, fine-grained tannin binds the proteins and fat of grilled and braised beef, while the wine's acidity keeps the palate fresh between bites. A textbook Tuscan match for char and marbling.
Try with: Fiorentina steak · Brasato al Barolo · Porchetta · ribeye steak · More pairings →
The wine's bright acidity mirrors the acidity of slow-cooked tomato, so neither tastes sharp. Tannin and savoury depth stand up to layered ragu and melted cheese.
Try with: Lasagna · tagliatelle al ragu · pasta al pomodoro · More pairings →
Acidity and fine tannin cut through the fat of roast pork and salumi, while the wine's peppery, herbal edge bridges to rosemary and fennel seasoning.
Try with: Porchetta · roast pork · salami · prosciutto · More pairings →
The salt and savoury intensity of aged sheep's cheese softens the wine's tannin and amplifies its red-fruit core, a classic central-Italian table pairing.
Try with: Pecorino sardo e pan carasau · aged pecorino · parmigiano · More pairings →
The wine's tobacco, forest-floor and dried-herb notes echo the rosemary, sage and slow-braise flavours of Tuscan stews, linking glass and plate.
Try with: Ossobuco alla Milanese · leg of lamb · brasato · More pairings →
Capsaicin heat sharpens Sangiovese's tannin and makes the alcohol feel hot, while sugary sweet-and-sour sauces flatten its fruit. Save those dishes for an off-dry white.
Skip with: Szechuan beef · crispy chilli beef · lamb vindaloo · sweet-and-sour pork · Pairing guide →
With 24 months of cask ageing already behind it and the structure of old-vine Sangiovese, the wine drinks well on release yet holds for several years; the 2019 and 2021 both reward a little time in bottle.
Peak around 2028. Best in the years above; holds without falling over either side.
A short splash decant softens the first-pour edge and opens the aromatics.
A DOCG Riserva from old vines with 24 months in oak has the structure to gain for several years, into the early 2030s for the 2021.
£27.18 is the lowest tracked offer for the current vintage and we have no signal of further discounting.
Read directly from each retailer’s public product page once a day. Last refresh: 7 Jun 2026, 15:38 BST. We do not hold stock and we do not accept payment for placement.
Confidence · HighDrawn from what drinkers consistently report on Vivino and Wine-Searcher, summarised in our own words. A crowd read across many tasters, not a single critic.
Confidence · MediumFrom the official Italian disciplinare for this denomination, cross-checked against the Ministry of Agriculture register.
Confidence · HighOur reading of the price, drawn from the disciplinare, public UK duty rates, and typical landed-cost benchmarks. Not a quote from the producer or a retailer.
Confidence · MediumStyle guidance for this kind of wine at this price point. Treat it as advice, not a forecast for the bottle in your hand.
Confidence · MediumIt is a Chianti Rufina Riserva DOCG made by Frescobaldi from the oldest vines at Castello Nipozzano, predominantly Sangiovese with traditional complementary varieties, aged 24 months in Tuscan oak casks.
Red and black cherry, plum and violet lead, with peppery, cinnamon spice and a savoury, earthy edge. The palate is medium to full bodied with bright acidity, fine tannin and a long, mineral, fruity finish.
Its acidity and tannin suit Tuscan grilled meats such as bistecca alla fiorentina, tomato-rich pasta like lasagna, herb-roasted porchetta and aged pecorino.
Released after 24 months in cask, it drinks well now, but the 2019 and 2021 will keep and improve for roughly 8 to 10 years from the vintage when stored well.
UK merchants list it between about 27 and 33 pounds a bottle, with the 2021 vintage the most widely available.
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