The ancient Etruscan wine estate Fèlsina lies right on the border of the famous Chianti appellation outside the village of Castelnuovo Berardenga in the southeastern part of Chianti.
The 500-hectare estate has around 94 hectares of vineyards situated along the Roman road Via Antiqua between 350 and 450 metres above sea level. Felsina is owned by the Poggiali family, who bought the estate in 1966. Back then there were only 2.5 hectares of vineyards. But over the course of 60 years this has grown to 94 hectares.
Their Chianti Classico Rancia was created in 1983, made from 100 percent Sangiovese from a single vineyard located next to a roughly 1,000-year-old monastery on the heights above the estate. In fact, the word Rancia means monastery farm, so wine has possibly been produced here for about a millennium.
Felsina's six-year-old Rancia from 2020 costs the same as the wine did eight years ago, 380 kroner. Which makes it an incredibly good buy. Six years of age also makes it a perfect accompaniment to this year's fresh lamb.
