Fèlsina

The original wine cellar was small, but in early 1900 had already begun bottling, under the direction of a noble Florentine family Busatti, who gave the current eighteenth-century appearance to the villa, the church and other buildings of the court.

In the Vineyard

Now certified organic, Fèlsina boats a variety of climates, landscapes, and terrains, its various vineyard characterized by diverse soils and microclimates, each unique in its individual qualities.

Fèlsina’s Sangiovese – or Sangioveto, the original Tuscan word – takes its birth from his extraordinary variety, a combination of variables-different soils and clones-that constitutes a distinctive heritage to hand down to future generation.

For this reason, starting in 1983 we initiated, together with Franco Bernabei, a programme of massali selection that has allowed us to preserve an important patrimony of different Sangioveses crus – cultivated here through lengthy efforts and much research.

That marriage of grape variety and terroir is an inseparable element of both the past and future of Fèlsina. A further important factor is that since 1993 Giovanni Poggiali has been replacing vineyards and planting new ones, deepening our research into Sangiovese, as a consequence of an increased awareness by the family and its colleagues that terroir is, of course, conditioned by geology, but it is even more profoundly a social constructer. In this sense, the preservation and further development of Sangiovese is the leitmotif of a commitment the illuminates the concept of tradition.

In this context, the cultural-agricultural choice to produce Sangiovese is not only ideological, but justified by knowledge gained through in-depth work experience and experimentation, in which the pairing of vine and terrain is a critical requirement.

Winemaking

After the quality-selected clusters are de-stemmed and pressed, the must is fermented and macerated in stainless steel for 16-20 days at 28°C and 30°C, with programmed punchdowns and daily pumpovers. In March-April, the new wine goes into new French oak barrels; after 18-20 months of maturation, the final blend is assembled, bottled, and ages in glass a minimum of 6-8 months.

Where in the World is Fèlsina?

Fèlsina is in Chianti a sub-region of Tuscany more specifically Chianti-Classico. Other sub-regions include Montalcino and Montepuliciano. Like Montalcino, Chianti covers a large area and is relatively poorly defined in comparison to the likes of Barolo.