Agricola San Felice – Pugnitello 2017
Toscana IGT, Italy 🇮🇹
Overview
Made from the ancient and rare indigenous grape Pugnitello, rediscovered and championed by San Felice, this wine showcases Tuscany’s dedication to preserving forgotten varieties. Its name comes from “pugno” (fist) for the tight cluster shape of the grapes. The 2017 vintage reveals the grape’s intense character in full force.
Aromas & Flavors
Deep black fruits dominate — blackberry, plum, and cassis — layered with cloves, forest mulch, and spicy wood. Subtle earthy notes and dried herbs give the wine a rustic but elegant Tuscan signature.
Mouthfeel
Bone-dry, powerful, and firmly structured. The tannins are bold yet polished, supporting a dense fruit core with savory spice and smoky undertones. The wine sits squarely in its prime drinking window, showing maturity and balance without losing its intensity.
Food Pairing
Pair with Tuscan bistecca alla Fiorentina, wild boar ragù, or truffle risotto. Also excellent with aged pecorino or charcuterie.
The Verdict
A compelling example of Tuscany’s viticultural heritage. The Pugnitello grape delivers depth, authenticity, and a unique sense of place. 2017 shows remarkable power and elegance — a wine lover’s discovery worth seeking out.
Personal Pick Highlight
Pugnitello is one of my favorite indigenous Tuscan reds because of its history and singular profile. This 2017 was at its perfect prime time — an absolute standout in San Felice’s lineup. Cheers! — a month ago
A nice lighter cherry that is dry but with appropriate fruit. Great with pasta and red sauce. October 2025. — 2 days ago
Trader Joe’s Classic!!!! This usually stinks. But not in this stellar 2021 vintage. Not super complex but more on the elegant side. I would think this will age for 10 years or so. After 24 hours even better and more convincing. Quite tannic! Grab it by the case while it is there the 2022 will be awful (my prediction). And at 20 bucks…….. — a month ago

Pale-medium ruby-garnet color.
Aromas of red cherry, soft spice, subtle floral, herbal finish.
Dry. Flavors of cherry, tar, floral, licorice. Rich, grippy tannins!
Intensity: 4/5
Complexity: 4/5
Balance: 4/5
Finish: 4/5 — 3 months ago
First 2024 wine!! This is really excellent - haven’t had this grape (albana) before. Orange but in the way that I like - no overly “natural” funk and instead just excellent stony fruit and some great grip. Very juicy and almost savory with a long finish. Great value at $22. — 3 months ago
Black cherry, raspberry preserves, currant, blackberry, vanilla and oak. Full-bodied and soft tannins. — 9 days ago
Jan de Weerd
Fantastic Chianti. When you have to fight over the last drop, that’s always a good sign. Hard to pin down, though what stood out, it was certainly balanced, dark fruit vibrancy, but not really complex. Fine polished tannins and uplifting g minerality probably drove us to the next sip. Yeah, great Chianti. Even more intriguing is the story behind this winery. Ever heard of ‘Spaghetti Westerns?’ Well the famous movie director of these films was also at ground level of reinventing and reinvigorating Tuscany as we know it today. here is their story on our blog site https://spokenwines.com/our-blog/from-film-to-vineyard-the-legacy-of-rocca-delle-mac%C3%ACe — 3 days ago