Agricola San Felice

– Toscana

San Felice is one of the most historic, important and influential estates in Chianti Classico, they are also one of the most innovative and either by happy chance or the art of some unseen hand they also have a very special team of people who make them one of the most modest and welcoming estates in the region as well. (This despite the super posh hotel which forms a part of the estate… I say despite rather than ‘as well as’ only because I’ll never be able to afford to stay there!)

The estate is a fairly substantial 650ha in total, much of it planted to olives and managed forest. There are 140ha of vineyard of which a very special 1.6ha is the famous ‘Vitarium’ where more than 270 different indigenous grape varieties are grown as part of a long-term study in collaboration with the University of Florence. It is from here that the now famous and increasingly important Pugnitello re-emerged from virtual extinction.

In addition to the main estate, San Felice also have 65ha of prime vineyard and a winery in Montalcino. As you’d expect with such a high-quality producer the wines are expressive, individual and varied in character.