Santedame Chianti Classico

The artistic side of Sangiovese

The label of the Santedame Chianti Classico shows a beautiful fresco of Virgin Mary, accompanied by Saint John and Saint Peter. This fresco, which has a sweet, loving air to it, can be seen in the small chapel hidden in the forest of the Santedame Estate.

The fresco dates back to the fourteenth century and is attributed to the school of the famous Florentine artist Il Ghirlandaio. It is one of the many examples of how history, culture and wine meet on the Santedame Estate.

The Santedame Estate, located near the town of Castellina in Chianti, was one of the first to join the Tuscan Estates of Ruffino. Over the years this estate has not only shown an extraordinary vocation for the production of great red wines, it is also a place of rare charm and beauty.

Ruffino chose Santedame for the production of a Chianti Classico which could successfully express the quality potential of this territory and in 1988 the Santedame Chianti Classico was produced for the first time. It is Ruffino's only single estate Chianti Classico.

The Sangiovese vineyards which were found on the estate in 1988, at the moment of the purchase, dated back to the seventies. They presented a very modern cultivation system with a planting density of 4000 vines per hectare - something quite rare for the time. For this reason it was possible for Ruffino to start the production of the Santedame Chianti Calssico right away.

Anyway, the best part of the vineyards has been replanted during the nineties according to the indications which comparative studies on soil and microclimate had shown ideal for the Santedame Estate.

The Santedame Chianti Classico is a wine with a firm character, but the true heart of its success is to be found in the fact that it's so incredibly smooth and pleasant to drink, even without much bottle age. Its taste is vibrant and characterised by a sweet fruity smoothness one rarely finds in a Sangiovese based wine.

The style of the Santedame Chianti Classico depends on its vineyards.

The positions chosen for the Sangiovese vineyards are located quite high, between 350 and 470 metres above sea level. Here the soil features an abundant presence of galestro, the typical Chianti Classico rock. The soil is not very profound and displays good drenage, which renders the vegetative conditions quite difficult. In addition, the vines are often subject to stress due to lack of water during the hottest summer months. All these elements combined generate a natural low yield of approximately 1 kilo of grapes per vine.

The altitude, the rocky soil and the climatic conditions are determining factors for the production of a Chianti Classico with its roots deeply rooted in the territory, with intense, almost aromatic fruity perfumes, elegance and character.

SANTEDAME CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG 2007

85/100 - Wine Spectator (USA)
Silver Medal - Decanter World Wine Awards 2009 (UK)
15.5/20, 3 bottles - L'Espresso 2009 (Italia)

SANTEDAME CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG 2006

Silver Medal - Decanter World Wine Awards 2008 (UK)
87/100 - Wine Spectator (USA)

SANTEDAME CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG 2005

2 bicchieri (2 glasses) - Gambero Rosso wine guide "Vini d'Italia" 2008
90/100 Best Buy - Wine Access
90/100 - Gismondionwine.com
87/100 - The Wine Advocate
85/100 - Weinwelt
Bronze Medal - International Wine Challenge 2007
Coup de Couer - Vins & Vignobles

SANTEDAME CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG 2004

2 bicchieri rossi (2 red glasses) - Gambero Rosso wine guide "Vini d'Italia" 2007
4 stars - Decanter Magazine 2006
90/100 - Wine News
Diploma di merito - Selezione dei Vini di Toscana 2007
86/100 - Weinwelt

SANTEDAME CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG 2003