San Felice : Poggio Rosso Gran Selezione 2019

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Poggio Rosso Gran Selezione 2019 from San Felice

Tasting

Color

With an intense ruby-red hue, this wine displays deep garnet highlights.

Nose

The nose is complex and expressive, opening with aromas of ripe red and black fruits such as plum, blackberry, and raspberry. With aeration, the bouquet evolves toward notes of sour cherry, dried tobacco, and walnut, underscored by spicy hints of cinnamon and bay leaf. Subtle floral touches of violet complete this refined aromatic palette.

Palate

On the palate, this wine charms with its elegance and structure. Velvety tannins combine with well-judged acidity to create remarkable balance. The palate reveals layers of dark fruit and spice, with a fine, precise texture. The finish lingers persistently with spicy, lightly toasted notes.

Food and wine pairings

The Poggio Rosso Gran Selezione 2019 pairs ideally with roast lamb, game meats, or pappardelle with wild boar ragù. It also elegantly complements aged Tuscan cheeses such as mature pecorino.

Serving and cellaring

This Poggio Rosso Gran Selezione 2019 benefits from being decanted one hour before serving to allow the aromas to fully unfold. Serve at a temperature of 16-18°C. This wine has cellaring potential until around 2044.

An elegant, structured Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

The estate

Founded in 1968 by Enzo Morganti, San Felice has now been owned by the Allianz Group for more than 50 years. Located in Castelnuovo Berardenga in the southern part of Chianti Classico, the estate spans 685 hectares, including 188 planted with vines. A pioneer of the Super Tuscans with Vigorello in 1968, San Felice stands out for its commitment to viticultural research and biodiversity preservation through the Vitiarium, which safeguards more than 200 ancient varieties. The estate is currently led by Carlo De Biasi, with Francesca Giuggioli as head winemaker since February 2026.

The vineyard

The Poggio Rosso vineyard, whose name means "red slope," covers 10 hectares at 390 meters above sea level with a south-southeast exposure. The soils are composed of calcareous marls and galestro, resting on Pleistocene geological formations. Planted in the late 1970s with selected clones of sangiovese and colorino, this terroir is cultivated without irrigation. Poggio Rosso was the first cru of Chianti Classico, expressing the unique characteristics of a specific plot.

The vintage

The 2019 vintage in Tuscany was marked by a dry season that favored optimal grape ripening. Exceptional weather conditions made it possible to obtain concentrated, balanced berries, despite naturally low yields. Harvesting took place between September 24 and 26 for sangiovese and colorino, then from October 2 to 3 for pugnitello.

Vinification and aging

The grapes for the Poggio Rosso Gran Selezione 2019 were vinified with fermentation on the skins for 20 to 25 days at a controlled temperature of 28-30°C. The wine was then aged for 20 months in 500-liter French oak barrels, followed by 15 months of bottle aging before release.

Grape varieties

Sangiovese (80 %)
Colorino (10 %)
Pugnitello (10 %)