Storia
The Bolgheri acquisition
Ruffino acquired 15 ha in the Bolgheri wine-growing area in 2023. The acquisition strengthened its connection with Bolgheri DOC and completed its estate presence across Tuscany’s principal wine-producing areas. The new property was conceived as a source of structured, silky wines that would express the Bolgheri terroir while preserving a character of Tuscan elegance.
The property completed its first harvest in 2023. At the time of acquisition, the stated objective was to direct this inaugural crop exclusively toward Bolgheri Rosso Superiore.
La Garzaia and its first releases
The estate subsequently took the name La Garzaia, a reference to the places where different species of heron nest between land and water. The name was chosen to evoke Bolgheri’s natural landscape and sense of place.
Winemaker Olga Fusari conceived the estate’s first Bolgheri Superiore. Made from the 2023 harvest, it was introduced in 2026 as Ruffino’s first wine in that denomination. Fusari also conceived La Garzaia’s Toscana IGT white, establishing a second expression of the estate through white varieties grown at Le Sondraie.
Terroir
Bolgheri setting
La Garzaia lies in Bolgheri, Tuscany. Its vineyards are divided between two plots along the Bolgherese road: Le Sondraie and Le Bozze. Le Sondraie occupies the northern edge of the Bolgheri appellation and includes vines at 10 m above sea level.
The Bolgheri microclimate is shaped by hills, maritime breezes and abundant light. The denomination is also characterized by pronounced geological diversity, encompassing more than 25 soil types.
Contrasting soils
The two estate sites present a marked contrast. Le Sondraie has deep, well-structured clay-sandy to sandy-clay ground. Its vineyard material identifies clay and limestone with small proportions of silt, while another current description characterizes the site as relatively low in limestone. Le Bozze has lighter sandy terrain.
The contrast between the deeper, more structured soils of Le Sondraie and the lighter sands of Le Bozze forms the central feature of La Garzaia’s vineyard identity, supporting the estate’s pursuit of balance, layering and a recognizable expression of Bolgheri.
Filosofia
La Garzaia was established to interpret Bolgheri through structured, silky wines while retaining a distinctly Tuscan conception of elegance. Its identity rests on the relationship between Bolgheri’s maritime-influenced environment and the contrasting soils of Le Sondraie and Le Bozze.
Balance, layering, elegance and finesse are recurring principles in the estate’s presentation. Olga Fusari describes the Bolgheri Superiore as an expression intended to reveal its connection to Bolgheri clearly. Her approach to the white is similarly based on balance, pairing Fiano’s freshness and mineral character with Viognier’s softer and more enveloping profile.