Italy · Tuscany

Felsina

Felsina, the leading estate in the Castelnuovo Berardenga zone at the southern edge of Chianti Classico, has been the reference point for the subzone since Giuseppe Mazzocolin took over in 1966 with consultant Franco Bernabei. The flagship Fontalloro—a 100% Sangiovese IGT Toscana introduced in 1983—proved that pure Sangiovese outside Chianti Classico DOCG could achieve grand cru complexity, influencing a generation of Tuscany-focused winemakers. The Rancia vineyard, now bottled as a Gran Selezione, produces Sangiovese with distinctive aromatic intensity and age-worthiness. At auction, 1,153 lots average $75 per bottle with a high of $1,195. Fontalloro commands the highest prices, with strong demand for the 1990, 1997, 2004, and 2015 vintages. The Berardenga Riserva and Colonia Gran Selezione provide depth, while Maestro Raro—a pure Cabernet Sauvignon—reflects historical experimentation with international varieties. The estate's Castelnuovo Berardenga location at the warmest, most southerly microclimate of Chianti Classico produces wines with riper fruit and more structured tannins than northern Panzano or Greve. Current winemaking under Giovanni Mazzocolin continues the emphasis on terroir expression over extraction.