Vecchio
⏳ Drinking Window
2015 - 2022
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Classic Tuscan Bistecca alla Fiorentina, slow-cooked wild boar ragù with pappardelle, and aged Pecorino Toscano cheese.
✨ Technical Specifications
Established in Pontassieve in 1877 by cousins Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino, the house of Ruffino played a pivotal role in bringing Tuscan red wines to the global stage. 'Vecchio' (historically known as Vecchio Ruffino or Chianti Stravecchio) is one of the estate's most legendary historic bottlings, famously presented in the traditional straw-covered fiasco bottle. This wine became so renowned for its quality that in 1913, Ruffino was appointed as an official supplier to the Italian Royal Family. Crafted predominantly from Sangiovese alongside traditional Tuscan blending partners like Canaiolo and Colorino, the wine reflects the classic clay and limestone soils of the Tuscan hills. It undergoes traditional fermentation followed by patient aging in large Slavonian oak casks, yielding a profile rich in dried cherries, leather, earthy forest floor, and rustic spice.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1877 by cousins Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino in Pontassieve near Florence, Ruffino is one of Tuscany's defining historic houses, instrumental in introducing classic Chianti to the international arena. Originally honored as official suppliers to the Italian royal court, the estate expanded significantly under the Folonari family before becoming the Italian flagship for Constellation Brands. Today, Ruffino oversees hundreds of hectares spanning iconic Tuscan terroirs—including Chianti Classico, Montalcino, and Bolgheri—as well as estates in the Veneto. Vineyard holdings feature galestro- and alberese-rich marls, limestone, and clay terraces situated at optimal elevations with warm, sun-drenched diurnal shifts. Under chief winemaker Gabriele Tacconi, viticulture emphasizes complete organic certification and rigorous biodiversity standards. The estate's stylistic identity balances traditional Tuscan structural depth with polished precision, anchored by historical benchmarks such as Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale, the Gran Selezione benchmark Riserva Ducale Oro, the Super Tuscan Modus, and fresh regional expressions like Lumina Pinot Grigio.
🍇 Grapes
Sangiovese (min 80%), Canaiolo, Colorino, Cabernet Sauvignon