Riecine S.S.

About Winery and Wines

Located in the heart of Tuscany, in the small community of Gaiole in Chianti, Riecine takes its place among the finest vineyards in all of Italy and continues to progress as a classic winery. Church archives from 1112 A.D. provide the earliest known record of the wine farm known as Riecine. Originally owned by a nearby monastery until the 20th century, Riecine is close to excavations of an Etruscan township. It is possible that wine has been produced in the hills around Riecine for thousands of years. The founder of Riecine, John Dunkley, an Englishman who became one of the most admired pioneers producers of Chianti Classico, and his Italian wife, Palmina, acquired the original 1.5 hectares of land in 1971 from the nearby monastery, Badia a Coltibuono. They restored the old stone villa on the land and began reviving and replanting vines. The first vintage of Chianti Classico, 1973, was released in 1975 to a flourish of praise. A close friend of John and Palmina, the winemaker Carlo Ferrini, played a key role in the birth and growth of Riecine wines, lending his advice and professionalism to Riecine until 1997.