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. \n \n Producer Information\n Ruffino is a large wine company based in Tuscany, producing wines from several regions in Central and Northern Italy. The company was founded in 1877 when cousins Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino established a small winery in Pontassieve near Florence. By the 1880s the company was regularly winning international awards and, in 1890, it became an official supplier to the Italian royal family. Ruffino purchased its first estate after World War II, and became the first to own estates in Chianti Classico, Montepulciano and Montalcino. The Gretole estate is almost entirely devoted to the flagship Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro, while the Greppone Mazzi estate in Montalcino provides the company's Brunello. It now farms around 600 hectares (1483 acres) split across six Tuscan properties; generic Chianti and Toscana IGT in all three colors are also produced. In Veneto, the La Duchessa and Ca' del Duce estates were acquired in 2019. Here, 130 hectares (321 acres) are organically farmed and produce approximately 35,000 hectoliters each vintage. Constellation Brands have owned the company since 2011, having initially acquired a 40 percent stake in 2004.
