In Castelnuovo Berardenga, Fattoria di Fèlsina stands as one of the great references for Tuscan Sangiovese, between Chianti Classico and the Colli Senesi. Led by the Poggiali family, the estate produces deep, distinguished and long-built wines, with Fontalloro and Rancia among its most sought-after expressions.

Fattoria di Fèlsina — The Deep Soul of Tuscan Sangiovese

Located in Castelnuovo Berardenga, in the south-eastern part of Chianti Classico, Fattoria di Fèlsina is one of Tuscany’s most respected estates. Its identity is rooted in a profound commitment to Sangiovese, cultivated with rare precision to express the complexity of soils, exposures and old massal selections.

Since the arrival of the Poggiali family in the 1960s, Fèlsina has become a major name for lovers of authentic, structured and age-worthy Chianti Classico. Through emblematic cuvées such as Rancia, Fontalloro and Colonia, the estate offers an intense, earthy and refined reading of Sangiovese.

History: a Tuscan property turned Chianti Classico benchmark

The estate entered a decisive phase in the 1960s, when the Poggiali family took over Fèlsina and began ambitious work in the vineyard, cellar and overall identity of the property. At the time, Chianti Classico was undergoing a deep transformation, between tradition, modernisation and a renewed search for quality.

Fèlsina chose a singular path: placing Sangiovese at the centre of its project, not merely as a regional grape variety, but as a true interpreter of place. This vision has been strengthened over the decades through work on massal selections, parcel knowledge and the expression of different terroirs situated at the border between Chianti Classico and the Colli Senesi.

Today, Fattoria di Fèlsina is recognised for wines of character, often deeper, spicier and more structured than the most delicate expressions of Chianti Classico. This strong personality, combined with remarkable consistency, makes it one of the most important signatures of Tuscan Sangiovese.

Terroir: Castelnuovo Berardenga, between Chianti Classico and the Colli Senesi

The estate is located in the Castelnuovo Berardenga sector, in the south-eastern part of the Chianti Classico area, not far from Siena. The vineyards grow on well-ventilated slopes, between around 320 and 420 metres above sea level depending on the parcels, with exposures that favour slow and regular ripening of Sangiovese.

The soils combine limestone, alberese, sandstone, clay, silt, stones and marine sediments depending on the sector. This diversity explains the aromatic complexity of the wines: dark fruit, cherry, tobacco, liquorice, spice, dry earth, warm stone and a firm tannic structure.

Fontalloro perfectly illustrates this borderland position, with grapes sourced from parcels located between Chianti Classico and Chianti Colli Senesi. This dual origin gives the wine a distinctive depth, combining limestone rigour, earthy breadth and long persistence.

Viticulture and vinification: Sangiovese, massal selection and precise ageing

The estate gives central importance to understanding Sangiovese and preserving its diversity. Since the 1980s, significant work on massal selection has helped refine the estate’s knowledge of the grape’s different expressions and adapt the vineyard to the nuances of each soil.

In the cellar, vinification is carried out with precision, often in stainless steel tanks, with macerations adapted to each cuvée. Ageing combines large vessels and barrels depending on the wine, supporting the natural structure of Sangiovese without masking its earthy, spicy and deeply Tuscan character.

Wine style

The red wines of Fèlsina are defined by an intense expression of Sangiovese: black cherry, sour cherry, blackberry, plum, tobacco, fine leather, liquorice, dried herbs, soft pepper and warm earth. The palate combines density, freshness, present tannins and an energetic finish.

The style remains deeply rooted in Tuscan tradition, but with contemporary precision. The estate’s finest wines can appear firm in youth, then open with time towards nuances of forest floor, truffle, spice, blood orange and patinated dark fruit.

Emblematic cuvées

Ageing and gastronomic pairings

The great cuvées of Fèlsina have excellent ageing potential. Rancia, Fontalloro and Colonia can evolve for 10 to 25 years, depending on vintage and storage conditions, gaining complexity, patina and aromatic depth.

At the table, Fèlsina’s red wines pair beautifully with bistecca alla fiorentina, roast lamb, wild boar, Tuscan ragù, mushroom pasta, truffle risotto, grilled meats, mature cheeses and Mediterranean herb-driven cuisine. Vin Santo pairs naturally with cantucci, almond desserts, blue cheeses or contemplative tasting.