Selvapiana in Medieval times was one of the watch towers along the river Sieve built with the purpose to protect the city of Florence on the North-East border. During Renaissance the building was enlarged and transformed into a Villa as summer residence of noble Florentine families and of the bishops of Florence. In 1827 was acquired by Michele Giuntini, a successful banker and ancestor of Francesco Giuntini, the present owner and fifth generation to run the property from 1957 to 1997.
Francesco Giuntini has always believed in the value of the Rufina appellation and with obstinate passion has worked to increase the prestige of the area. He has been among the first Tuscan producer to make the Riserva wine only from Sangiovese grapes and to produce the flagship wine of Selvapiana from a single vineyard, Bucerchiale: the first vintage of the Chianti Rufina Riserva Vigneto Bucerchiale is 1979. In 1978 Francesco understanding the great capacities, hired the young Franco Bernabei as consultant enologist, nowadays one of the most well known Tuscan oenologist who still consults for Selvapiana.
Since 1997 Selvapiana is run by Francesco Giuntini’s adopted sons, Federico and Silvia, sons of the estate manager Franco Masseti, who worked with Francesco from 1953 to 1990. The property extend over a surface of 250 hectares of which 58 are planted with vines, 36 olive gardens and 140 wood, in the municipalities of Rufina, Pontassieve and Pelago.
The hills where the Rufina vineyards are located lye on the foothill of the Apennines, the chains of mountains that divides Tuscany from Emilia Romagna. The nearness to the mountains strongly influence the microclima of the area with cooler summer and great excursion of temperature between day and night. For this reason the grapes ripen slowly throughout all the summer season and reach a nice balance of all the aromatic compounds of the acin. The wines have fresh acidity, great finess and elegance, silky tannins and a long after taste.
