# Romitorio di Santedame Chianti Classico Gran Selezione (2020)

- **Producer:** Ruffino
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Sangiovese, Colorino
- **Region:** Toscana, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €60
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, violet, black pepper, herbaceous, vanilla, cedar, cloves, smoke, leather, tobacco, forest floor

## About this wine

Romitorio di Santedame is a prestigious Chianti Classico Gran Selezione produced by the historic Ruffino estate. The wine originates from the Santedame estate, located in the Conca d'Oro (Golden Shell) of Castellina in Chianti, a sub-region highly regarded for its microclimate and soils. The name 'Romitorio' refers to an ancient hermitage located on the property, dating back to the 12th century. This single-vineyard bottling represents the pinnacle of Ruffino's quality pyramid, showcasing the elegance and longevity of Sangiovese grown in high-altitude, galestro-rich soils.

## Interesting facts

- The Santedame estate features a 12th-century hermitage (romitorio) adorned with a fresco of the Madonna, which inspires the wine's label.
- Gran Selezione is the highest tier of the Chianti Classico classification, requiring estate-grown grapes and 30 months of aging.
- The vineyards are situated in the Conca d'Oro of Castellina, famous for its amphitheater shape that maximizes sun exposure.

## Food pairing

The high acidity and firm tannins of this Chianti Classico Gran Selezione demand rich, savory dishes with ample protein and fat to soften the structure. Classic Tuscan pairings featuring game, grilled red meats, and earthy truffles complement the wine's savory, herbal, and dark fruit profile perfectly.

## Wine making process

The grapes are hand-harvested from low-yielding vines at the Santedame estate. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with skin contact lasting about 20-25 days to maximize extraction of color, tannins, and polyphenols. Following malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged for approximately 30 months, including at least 24 months in French oak barrels (barriques and tonneaux) of first and second passage, followed by additional refinement in the bottle before release.