Riecine: All Sangiovese, All Gaiole, Authentic Chianti Classico

Chianti Classico’s Riecine winery typifies many of the changes that have taken place in the region. Current owner Lana Frank purchased this Gaiole estate (see map below) in 2011 and began renovations that included replanting vineyards, replacing steel tanks with concrete, and substituting foudres for barriques. After making wine in Spain’s Utiel-Requena region and Kendall-Jackson in California, Università di Pisa grad Alessandro Campatelli joined the winemaking team in 2015 and introduced other changes—larger canopy to protect grapes from the sun, refrigeration of fruit prior to crushing, extended cold maceration, and use of native yeasts. One thing that has not changed since the founding of the estate in 1971 is the use of 100% Sangiovese grapes despite the region’s fascination with Bordeaux varieties in the late 20^th century. We caught up with Alessandro at the 2024 Anteprima in Florence to talk about his winemaking and to taste the new releases.

The 20 hectare, organic-certified Riecine vineyard sits at 480 meters above sea level, an altitude that used to present challenges in ripening fruit but today contributes freshness to wines made in a warming climate.  The vineyard was purchased from the Abazzia di Coltibuono monastery in 1971 by John Dunkley and his wife Palmina Abbagnano who renewed the vineyard, restored the 12^th century villa, and hired Carlo Ferrini, one of Italy’s leading enologists, to make the wine.  Ferrini remains as consulting enologist today. Alessandro Campatelli, Carlo Ferrini and Laura Frank maintain Dunkley’s vision of authentic, Sangiovese-based wines. As Alessandro says, “The goal is to reflect terroir, not produce a blockbuster.”

US Importers: SoilAir, The Source Imports

Riecine

The Wines

Riecine 2022 Chianti Classico (Gaiole) 91  Medium ruby red. Reveals a very fruity nose of Montmorency cherries. The palate follows suit with superb freshness and bright red cherry/berry flavors. Delicious, easy drinking with round tannins. Fermented in concrete with 10 days on the skins post-fermentation, and aged in 500L tonneau.

Riecine 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva (Gaiole) 93 Medium dark ruby. Reveals aromas and flavors of dark cherry with touches of balsamic and sandalwood. Round and full on the palate; very fresh with excellent depth and balance. Spends 15 days on the skins, post-fermentation and aged 24m in 30 hl oak.

Riecine 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Gittori (Gaiole) 93  Light-medium red. Beautiful fresh, red fruit is revealed on the nose and palate. The mouthfeel is refined and very fresh with medium concentration and an herbal edge. Bright acidity. The 2.7 ha, rocky-limestone-iron soils of Gittori vineyard were planted in 1974 at 500m elevation. After purchasing fruit from Gittori over the past two decades, Riecine purchased the vineyard in 2019. Crushed and fermented in concrete Nomblot tanks and matured 24 months in old tonneaux and concrete tanks.