Selvanella: A Chianti Classico pioneer

The elegance of Radda

Situated in Radda, Selvanella has pursued an unwavering goal of site expression. From the first vintage in 1969, it carried the name ‘Vigneti la Selvanella’, one of the earliest statements of origin in Chianti Classico.

The location of that vineyard in northerly Radda was critical to the style then, and today. Here, at 330m to 600m above sea level, Selvanella finds its elegance through altitude, with light, wind and a cooler microclimate helping to preserve finesse and ensure longevity.

This elevated location has been a boon in the era of climate change. Although some estates are forced to pick early due to rising temperatures, harvests here still take place from late September into early October, meaning the estate’s Sangiovese reaches full ripeness while maintaining excellent freshness.

Protecting biodiversity

A contiguous estate of 139 hectares, Selvanella has 50 hectares under vine, but most of the estate is planted to natural woodland and wild vegetation. These woods play a vital role for the vineyards, helping to cool the vineyard and creating temperature shifts that support the wine’s floral and balsamic character.

Since the beginning, Selvanella has remained committed to the historical Sangiovese Grosso vines that were present on the estate in the 1960s when it was purchased by Melini. Today, estate manager Alessandro Zanette, winemaker Francesco Bruni and agronomist Marco Viciani nurture the vineyard at the heart of this wooded site. New plantings are developed from the old vines of the estate, while some of those vines – now more than 50 years old – continue to contribute depth and character to the wine.

A singular expression

Selvanella only makes one wine: Vigneti La Selvanella Chianti Classico Riserva. Although it has the profile of a Gran Selezione, and could qualify for the designation, the estate has chosen to retain the historic Riserva designation that has distinguished the wine since its first vintage.

Rooted in soils of different geological origins, Vigneti La Selvanella Riserva is aged for three years in large oak casks before further refinement in bottle. The estate gives the wine a recommended cellaring potential of more than 15 years, and they should know. From the first vintage, the estate chose to set aside hundreds of bottles from each vintage, back to 1969, creating a living library of the wine’s development over time. These bottles are a record of the harvests, the territory and the aging capacity of this special Riserva.

An estate committed to a single wine, a single variety and a single site in Radda, Selvanella expresses the purity, complexity and longevity of great Chianti Classico. It has remained true to its convictions for more than half a century, grounded in a faithful local expression of Sangiovese.

Discover more about Selvanella: www.vignetilaselvanella.it/en

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