The history from Ravenna to Tuscany (as “a reverse Dante path”) of the Romagna Poggiali family

Without any doubt, the most illustrious figure who in history ever traveled the route between Tuscany, particularly Florence, and Romagna, towards one of its capitals, Ravenna, was Dante Alighieri, the “Supreme Poet” who was born in Florence in 1265 and spent the last years of his life in Ravenna, exiled from his city, until 1321. Playing with history, instead, following the reverse route in our own time and in the world of wine, from Ravenna to Tuscany, particularly to Castelnuovo Berardenga in Chianti Classico, was accomplished exactly 60 years ago by the Poggiali family. Coming from Romagna, they invested in the purchase of Fèlsina, today one of the most beautiful and accomplished estates in the Black Rooster territory, one of the finest in the world, perhaps attracted by the already established environmental protection, but also by hunting, making a heartfelt and forward-looking choice. In this 2026, now at its midpoint, it marks 60 years since the Poggiali family, originally from Romagna, purchased the historic Chianti estate with Domenico Poggiali, as well as 40 years since the first vintage of two iconic wines from the estate, Rancia and Fontalloro, expressions of Sangiovese, born in 1983 and presented this year in the 2023 vintage (with the historic collaboration of the renowned winemaker Franco Bernabei).
These anniversaries represent small milestones in the modern history of Fèlsina, which began in the 1960s, “when Domenico Poggiali purchased the historic estate located at the southernmost point of Chianti Classico. A place with ancient roots, whose name of Etruscan origin evoked a “place of hospitality”, connected to agriculture, hunting, hospitality, and the culture of the Tuscan landscape since time immemorial. Over the centuries - explains the company - Fèlsina has maintained its deep bond with the land and with the agricultural vocation of this territory: here, between the last hills of Chianti and the opening towards the Crete Senesi, the landscape changes continuously: galestro, alberese, clay, and marine sediments coexist in a mosaic of soils made unique by intense light and constant ventilation. This natural complexity has, over the years, become one of the defining traits of Fèlsina wines”. In the following years, Domenico and his son Giuseppe invested in acquiring new hectares and technologies, transforming Fèlsina into a modern wine estate: alongside them were Giuseppe Mazzocolin and winemaker Franco Bernabei, key figures in an important process of vineyard enhancement through massal selection and micro-zone vinifications. It was from this shared vision that, in 1983, two wines arose which would mark the path of Fèlsina (and also of Chianti Classico), Rancia and Fontalloro, expressing a precise vision: to interpret Sangiovese in purity, letting the land and time define its character. Today, this journey continues under the guidance of Giovanni Poggiali, keeping authenticity, research, and territorial identity at its core. Rancia originates from the historic estate of the same name, from vineyards located between 370 and 390 meters above sea level on particularly suited limestone soils. Over time, it has built its recognition through elegance, depth, and aging potential, becoming one of the most authoritative interpretations of Sangiovese from Castelnuovo Berardenga. Always in 1983, Fontalloro arose, the result of the combination of vineyards located both inside and outside the Chianti Classico area. It tells the story of Fèlsina border territory through diverse soils and landscapes, with Sangiovese as the guiding thread. Structure, freshness, and tension find a distinctive balance here, making Fontalloro one of the most identity-driven Italian labels on the international scene.
A combination of anniversaries, therefore, for a sort of a “fragmented centenary”, recently celebrated at the estate with leading Italian and international wine critics through a dinner and a tasting of older, more recent, and most significant vintages of the two wines. Among them, in the WineNews tasting, the outstanding drinkability of the excellent 2021 Chianti Classico Rancia stands out, vibrant and fresh, with broad fruity aromas accompanied by hints of spice and smokiness, offering a lively and complex palate with firm yet rounded tannins and a long finish bringing back fruit and toast. The monumental Chianti Classico Rancia 1985 is equally remarkable, the result of a mythical, precise, and recognizable expression of this small hill, famous also for its ancient farm, particularly suited to Sangiovese. It interprets a beautiful vintage with class, elegance, refinement, agility, savoriness, and extraordinary longevity, with truly ethereal aromas. These two wines are among the many excellences produced by Fèlsina, which today encompasses 500 hectares of land, 72 of which are under vine, while maintaining an agricultural approach typical of a historic Tuscan estate, where vineyards coexist with olive groves, forests, arable land, and activities linked to biodiversity. Since 2015, the entire estate has been certified organic, with constant attention to natural soil fertility and ecosystem balance, fundamental elements for looking toward the future of one of the most beautiful and valuable estates in Chianti Classico.