Selvapiana

Selvapiana in Medieval times was one of the watch towers along the river Sieve, built with the purpose of protecting the city of Florence on the North-East border. During the Renaissance the building was transformed into a Villa as the Summer residence of noble Florentine families and of the bishops of Florence. In 1826 it was acquired by Michele Giuntini, a successful banker and ancestor of Francesco Giuntini, the present owner and fifth generation to run the property from 1957 to 1997.

Francesco was among the first in Tuscany to produce wine from only Sangiovese grapes and to link the flagship wine of the estate to a specific single vineyard: Bucerchiale. In 1979 he produced the first vintage of Chianti Rufina Riserva Vigneto Bucerchiale. He was the first, in 1978, to put his trust in the consultant oenologist and iInternationally renowned Franco Bernabei.

Today the property is managed by Silvia and Federico, the children of Franco Masseti, who was a farmer in Selvapiana from 1953 to 1990. Silvia and Federico were adopted by Francesco in 1994 to give continuity to their work.
Selvapiana currently covers an area of about 250 hectares, of which 58 hectares are vineyards, 36 hectares olive groves and 140 hectares of woodland. The land owned is spread over 3 municipalities, Rufina, Pelago and Pontassieve.