Summary
Ruffino is one of the best-known wine houses of Tuscany – and one of the first to deliberately carry Chianti out into the world. Founded in 1877 by cousins Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino in Pontassieve near Florence, the house became official supplier to the Italian royal house as early as 1890. Riserva Ducale (since 1927) and Riserva Ducale Oro (since 1947) rank among the best-selling Chianti Classico wines in the world, while Modus has represented the Super Tuscan idea since 1997. The Folonari family shaped the company from 1913; since 2011 it has been wholly owned by the US group Constellation Brands. Unlike many big brands, Ruffino owns its own estates in Chianti Classico, Montalcino and, since 2023, Bolgheri.
History
When Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino founded their wine house in 1877, they chose the location carefully: Pontassieve, east of Florence, sat at the confluence of the Arno and Sieve, had a railway connection, a glass factory and the finest Chianti vineyards on its doorstep. From the outset the cousins wanted more than a country wine for the osteria round the corner – they wanted a Tuscan wine that travels. As early as 1881 their Chianti won a gold medal at the Milan wine exhibition, followed by gold in Antwerp in 1885. With the emigrants, Ruffino Chianti found its way to the USA early on – to this day its most important market.
The turning point came in 1890: the Duke of Aosta visited the winery and appointed Ruffino official supplier to the royal house. In his honour the first Riserva Ducale – a Chianti Stravecchio – received its name in 1927. In 1913 the Folonari family from Brescia took over the house, and under their leadership Ruffino became a global brand: in 1947 Riserva Ducale Oro was added as a selection for exceptional vintages, in the 1950s the Rosatello rosé followed and the straw-wrapped fiasco bottle became a symbol of Made in Italy. When Chianti received DOCG status in 1984, the very first seal went to Ruffino.
In 1997 the house ventured into the IGT world with the Super Tuscan Modus. In 1999 the Folonari business was split; brothers Paolo and Marco carried Ruffino on and in 2004 brought the US group Constellation Brands on board as a partner (40%). In 2011 Constellation took over the remaining shares – since then Ruffino has been 100% in American hands, though run by an Italian management team in Tuscany.
Location & Terroir
Ruffino is not a single estate but a group of several tenute spread across Tuscany's most important growing areas. Its heart beats in Chianti Classico: Tenuta Poggio Casciano in Bagno a Ripoli, the house's operational centre since 2000, lies at up to around 320 metres in the hills south-east of Florence; here Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot grow for the Tuscan blends. Close by lies Montemasso, the first Chianti Classico estate Ruffino acquired, in 1947.
Further south, near Castellina in Chianti, are Santedame and Gretole – two classic Sangiovese sites in the core of the appellation, which supply grapes for Riserva Ducale and Riserva Ducale Oro among others. In Montalcino the Tenuta Greppone Mazzi produces Brunello, and in southern Tuscany La Solatìa rounds off the portfolio. In 2023 Ruffino also bought around 15 hectares of vines in Bolgheri (Tenuta La Garzaia), betting on the coast and its Bordeaux varieties for the first time. In total the house farms around 600 hectares of vines on roughly 1,500 hectares of land; all vineyards carry the SQNPI and Biodiversity Friend sustainability certifications, and the estate wines are being converted to organic.
Style & Philosophy
Ruffino stands for the classic, approachable Chianti style: Sangiovese-driven, with cherry, violet and the typical fresh acidity, yet with enough ripeness and oak to appeal internationally. Despite all its Super Tuscan success, the house has always stayed committed to Chianti Classico – and with Riserva Ducale Oro even provided a model for the top category Gran Selezione, introduced in 2014, into which the wine has been classified since the 2010 vintage.
Chief winemaker Gabriele Tacconi is only the fourth cellar master in more than 140 years of Ruffino – a sign of continuity. He relies on a balance of tradition and modern precision: ageing in large casks, concrete vats and barriques depending on the wine, with long maturation for the top wines. In 2023 the house set up a Winemaking Council at his side, including oenologist Alberto Antonini and viticulture scientist Stefano Poni. The aim: to move Ruffino away from the image of a pure volume brand and towards a quality benchmark for Chianti Classico.
Notable Sites & Wines
- Riserva Ducale – Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, since 1927, the flagship of the house
- Riserva Ducale Oro – Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG, since 1947, from the estates near Castellina in Chianti
- Modus – Toscana IGT, since 1997, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in roughly equal thirds; plus the top version Modus Primo
- Greppone Mazzi – Brunello di Montalcino DOCG from the estate of the same name
- Chianti DOCG and Chianti Classico DOCG – the entry range, once in the fiasco bottle
- Prosecco DOC – Ruffino's sparkling line from Glera, a bestseller above all in the USA
Add to that whites such as Pinot Grigio, a rosé, plus Vin Santo and grappa.
Awards
The medals of the founding era – Milan 1881, Nice 1884, Antwerp 1885 – laid the foundation for Ruffino's reputation. More recently it is above all Riserva Ducale that has collected laurels: the Chianti Classico Riserva received the top rating Tre Bicchieri in the Gambero Rosso Vini d'Italia guide, in the 2024 edition for the fourth year in a row. Riserva Ducale Oro is regularly rated above 90 points by international critics, for example 94 points from James Suckling for the 2012 vintage.
