About This Vineyard
Church archives from 1112 A.D. provide the earliest known record of the wine farm known as Riecine. Originally owned by a nearby monastery until the 20th century, Riecine is close to excavations of an Etruscan township. It is possible that wine has been produced at Riecine for thousands of years. The founder of Riecine, John Dunkley, an Englishman who became one of the most admired producers of Chianti Classico, and his Italian wife, Palmina, acquired the original 1.5 hectares of land in 1971 from the nearby Badia a Coltibuono.
They restored the old stone villa on the land and began reviving and replanting vines. John’s first vintage of Chianti Classico, 1973, was released in 1975 to a flourish of praise. He later recalled, ‘Then it was easy to be among the best producers, but Chianti Classico has moved up the ladder. Today the competition is much tougher.’
