Felsina Chianti Classico Gran Selezione ‘Rancia’ 2022 is Fèlsina's flagship: 100% Sangiovese from the historic Poggio a Rancia vineyard. It was rated 96 POINTS by Aldo Fiordelli for James Suckling and by Kerin O'Keefe, who calls it "a gorgeous wine". Expect black cherry, plum and incense, built for the cellar.
In the glass it shows dried rose and a lift of bergamot, with leather, graphite and dried herbs coming through as it opens.
Antonio Galloni of Vinous calls Rancia one of the world's most distinctive wines. It's a special occasion wine to lay down, then open with slow-cooked wild boar.
Poggio a Rancia takes its name from a former Benedictine monastery on the site.
What it tastes like
This wine has a deep, dark core of fruit, with a faint hint of tobacco underneath. It is tightly wound in its youth and needs some coaxing, so give it air by swirling it in the glass.
The palate is firm and dusted with fine tannins. It is long and refreshing, with a vertical lift that keeps the weight in check. Antonio Galloni describes it as "vivid, complex and deeply beautiful".
It's serious Sangiovese, made to age.
Style at a glance
- Body: Full
- Sweetness: Dry
- Acidity: Fresh and lifted
- Tannin: Firm and fine-grained
- Oak: 18 months in French oak barriques, adding cedar, spice and a gentle toastiness
- Style: Structured, perfumed, cellar-worthy Sangiovese
Food to enjoy this with
- Cinghiale in umido, a slow-cooked Tuscan wild boar stew
- Roast leg of lamb with rosemary, garlic and anchovy
- Bistecca alla fiorentina
- Pappardelle with hare ragù
- Aged Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino stagionato
- Something unexpected: Peking duck pancakes with hoisin. The sweet spice and crisp skin bring out the incense and dark cherry in the wine.
Who makes it
Fèlsina is at Castelnuovo Berardenga, in the south-east corner of Chianti Classico. Domenico Poggiali and his son Giuseppe committed the estate to Sangiovese in the 1970s, and Giovanni Poggiali has led it since 1990. The vineyards have been farmed organically since the early 2000s.
Poggio a Rancia sits at 400 to 420 metres, facing south-west. The soils are calcareous, mostly the hard, pale limestone known as alberese, with flaky galestro shale higher up. Newer plantings are grown from cuttings of the original vines.
Rancia was first made in 1983, the same year as Fontalloro. For decades it was a Chianti Classico Riserva. From the 2021 vintage it became a Gran Selezione, the top tier of the appellation.
The grapes are hand-picked, then fermented in stainless steel for 16 to 20 days with daily pump-overs. For the 2022 vintage, the fruit was picked on 5 and 12 October, and the wine was aged for 18 months in French oak barriques.
About the vintage
The Chianti Classico consortium reports a 2022 season without spring frost or significant hail. Summer was hot and dry, but spring rain had given the vines good water reserves, and cool nights helped the Sangiovese ripen evenly. Rain in mid-August came at the right time.
Picking across the region began around 10 September, about 2 weeks early, while Fèlsina's harvest ran into October. The consortium describes the 2022 wines as very well balanced, with ripe, sweet tannins.
Critic scores and ratings
- 96 POINTS – Kerin O'Keefe – kerinokeefe.com
"The Felsina 2022 Gran Selezione Rancia is a gorgeous wine. Showing finesse and focus, it offers aromas of violet, perfumed berry, dark spice, camphor and dark-skinned fruit. Firmly structured and vibrant, the elegant palate delivers Morello cherry, raspberry, vanilla and licorice accompanied by compact, close-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced. This is still youthfully austere and shows great aging potential. Drink 2030–2038."
- 96 POINTS – Aldo Fiordelli – James Suckling, June 2025. Named one of the highlights of his Chianti Classico 2025 report.
- 95 POINTS – Antonio Galloni – Vinous, July 2025
When to drink it
This is a wine for patience. Antonio Galloni says it will need at least a few years to start coming into its own, and recommends drinking it from 2030 through to 2037. It's the sort of wine you buy a case of.
Technical details
| Producer: |
Fèlsina |
| Wine: |
Rancia |
| Vintage: |
2022 |
| Variety: |
100% Sangiovese |
| Region: |
Castelnuovo Berardenga, Chianti Classico, Tuscany |
| Country: |
Italy |
| Classification: |
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG |
| Vineyard: |
Poggio a Rancia, 400 to 420 metres, south-west facing |
| Fermentation: |
Stainless steel, 16 to 20 days at 28 to 30°C |
| Oak: |
18 months in French oak barriques |
| Cellaring: |
2030 to 2037 (Vinous) |
Where to buy
The Felsina Chianti Classico Gran Selezione ‘Rancia’ 2022 is available online at thewineryonline.co.nz for delivery within New Zealand. You can also buy it at our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores, alongside a large range of New Zealand and international wine. Online and in both stores you can select a mixed case from a large range of wines.
Questions we are often asked
What is Chianti Classico Gran Selezione?
Gran Selezione is the top category of Chianti Classico, above Riserva. Fèlsina's Rancia moved up to Gran Selezione from the 2021 vintage.
What grape is Felsina Rancia made from?
Fèlsina Rancia is 100% Sangiovese from the single Poggio a Rancia vineyard at Castelnuovo Berardenga.
How long can I cellar Rancia 2022?
Antonio Galloni of Vinous suggests drinking Fèlsina Rancia 2022 from 2030 to 2037, and says it needs a few years before it starts to open up.
When was Rancia first made?
Fèlsina made its first Rancia in 1983, the same year as its Fontalloro.
What does the name Rancia mean?
Fèlsina's Rancia is named after Poggio a Rancia, the hill and vineyard where a Benedictine monastery once stood.
Where can I buy Felsina Chianti Classico Gran Selezione ‘Rancia’ 2022?
The Winery sells Felsina Chianti Classico Gran Selezione ‘Rancia’ 2022 online at thewineryonline.co.nz for delivery within New Zealand. You can also buy it in our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores.
