Ruffino: the star of Chianti makes its Bolgheri debut

Birds eye view of vineyard with the Ruffino winery set behind it, under a blue but cloudy sky — Views over the Ruffino winery.

(Image credit: Supplied by Ruffino)

published 27 May 2026

Few wineries enjoy such a close association with an area as Ruffino does with Chianti. When Chianti was designated in 1984 as a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) – the highest classification for Italian wine – it was Ruffino that was given the honour of attaching the very first distinctive DOCG warranty strip to the neck of a bottle: AA00000001.

Now, Ruffino is bringing that same reputation for quality to the Bolgheri area with the release this year of its Garzaia Bolgheri Superiore DOC, a wine made entirely from grapes grown in its own vineyards. Garzaia completes the company’s portfolio of flagship red wines – alongside Riserva Ducale Oro Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG, Greppone Mazzi Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, and its regional wines, Modus Primo and Alauda – staking Ruffino’s claim to be regarded as the ultimate Tuscan fine wine house.

Ruffino’s move into the land of the legendary Super Tuscans came in 2023 when it bought its Bolgheri vineyards. Garzaia is the brainchild of chief winemaker Olga Fusari, a Bolgheri expert who cut her winemaking teeth in the region.

Close-up shot of Ruffino Garzaia wine, sititng on top of gold leaf — New label Garzaia Bolgheri Superiore.

Living up to Ruffino’s royal heritage

The grapes used to make Garzaia come from Le Sondraie, an area on the northern edge of Bolgheri, where the soil is rich in clay and limestone, with small amounts of silt. The wine is named after a site where several species of heron nest, with their graceful wings depicted on its label.

The new wine is joining the ranks of Ruffino’s legendary bottles. Its Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico Riserva was created in 1927 to mark the winery’s connection with the Duke of Aosta, who visited the estate in 1890 and chose the winery as a supplier to Italy’s royal family, with its exclusive Riserva Ducale Oro Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG added in 1947.

Each of Ruffino’s seven Tuscan estates has its own identity and is run independently, allowing a focus on each area’s land. As well as producing wines, the company welcomes guests to Casa Ruffino, a fine-dining villa sitting on the Tenuta Ruffino Poggio Casciano estate, just a few kilometres from the city of Florence.

Rows of barrels curving round the edge of a curved cellar, around 40 barrels — The barrel room at Ruffino.

Garzaia joins Ruffino’s other star bottles

Made from a blend of 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot, the 2023 Garzaia Bolgheri Superiore delivers aromas of red fruit and the Mediterranean’s distinctive brush scrubland. Eighteen months in French oak emphasises its balanced body and plush tannins.

Garzaia joins a stable that includes Riserva Ducale Oro Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG, with its intense cherry, plum, and violet aromas, which lead into complex eucalyptus, chocolate, and black pepper flavours, and a finish featuring sweet tobacco, balsamic notes, and more plum.

Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot are the stars of the show in the Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico Riserva, combining to give floral and fruity aromas, and a palate that balances Sangiovese’s freshness with delicate tannins.