2022 Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva, Frescobaldi
Rufina is the cool, hilly outlier of the Chianti world — north-east of Florence, higher and fresher than Classico, and Frescobaldi's Castello Nipozzano is its most famous name. The family has made wine here for centuries, and Nipozzano Riserva is the bottle that made this corner of Tuscany's reputation for elegant, ageworthy Sangiovese.
The 2022 is Sangiovese-based, rounded out with small amounts of complementary varieties, fermented in stainless steel and then aged in barriques with time in bottle before release. Rufina's altitude shows in the freshness. The nose gives blackberry and dark cherry lifted by a citrus note, violet and rose, then clove, sandalwood and rosemary. The palate is medium-bodied and balanced, with a mineral edge and dense but silky fine tannins held in crisp tension, closing on a persistent finish. James Suckling gave the vintage 92 points, and it earns them — this is Chianti with real poise.
Approachable now with air, it will develop nicely over five to eight years.
How to Serve
Serve at 16–18°C in a medium-large glass. A young Riserva opens well with thirty minutes' air or a short decant.
Where to Drink It
Trullo in Islington for its Tuscan sympathies. Or Bocca di Lupo near Piccadilly for a regional Italian match.
Food Pairings
Bistecca alla fiorentina, if you're feeling grand. Otherwise pappardelle with a wild boar ragù is the classic Rufina pleasure.
