Ricasoli is unquestionably a name to reckon wit in Tuscany. The line, also known as the Firidolfi Ricasoli (descendants of a certain “Ridolfo”, or Rudolph, who arrived in the region in the 10^th century A:D.), was once the absolute lords of a large swath of territory on the border between the republics of Siena and Florence, perpetually at war in the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance; the family, consequently, owned a series of castle-fortresses which dominated Gaiole in Chainti (and not only this township).

Viticulture was obviously of fundamental importance on their vast possessions, and Bettino Ricasoli, known in Italy as the “Iron Baron” for his role in the drive for Italian unification in the 19^th century, was the indispensable innovator in the creation of  Chianti Classico as we know it today;  it was he who created the famous “formula” which has characterized the wine ever since: Sangiovese + Canaiolo, the former replacing the latter as protagonist in the blend. Francesco Ricasoli has inherited this glorious heritage, something which he feels as an honor and certainly not as a burden; 625 acres of vineyards are certainly an important responsibility, but the wines, programmed and realized with the invaluable assistance of winemaker Carlo Ferrini, have gone from strength to strength since the  mid-1990’s, the period when the team took charge of the Castle of Brolio, its vineyards, and its cellars.

With a sizeable number of bottles to market, the range, inevitably, is a variegated one, but it has been notably trimmed and edited in recent years. In addition to the “regular” Chianti Classico bottling (rarely was a term less appropriate), close to 750.000 bottles in a normal vintage, two additional standout wines are the all-Merlot Castelferro, the flagship Chianti Classico, named for the castle itself, and, more recently, a superb Sangiovese selection, Colledilà. A classic example of how to combine quality and quantity is the Riserva Rocca Guicciarda, some 400,000 bottles (does this seem a trifle?).