When cousins Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino embraced their passion for winemaking in 1877, opening a small winery in Pontassieve near Florence, the region already had a centuries-old tradition of growing exceptional wine grapes. The two Tuscan natives still felt certain that much of the area's greatness had yet to be revealed. Tuscany had good fortune: mineral-laden soils; the cooling influence of the Mediterranean Sea; dry summers that favor wine grapes; and luscious, sun-drenched hills. As word grew about the quality of the cousins' wines, their winery flourished. They honed their expertise, and Ruffino soon became known for clean, balanced wines, adopting the motto "here we make ideal wine." After the Second World War, Ruffino purchased the first of its Tuscan estates, the Villa di Montemasso in the Chianti Classico region. Ruffino continued to invest in new vineyards, becoming one of the first major wineries with vineyard estates in Italy's three most renowned wine-producing regions: Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Famous for consistency and quality, Ruffino has established itself as a leader in chianti, and Ruffino Chianti has become a global ambassador of Tuscan wines. When chianti first became recognized as a DOCG wine in 1984, Ruffino Chianti DOCG was awarded the first warranty strip. More than 140 years after its founding and more than 90 years after Riserva Ducale's release, Ruffino carries on Italy's history and heritage.
