The Sieve valley east of Pontassieve is the heart of the Chianti Rufina, the smallest and one of the most respected of the Chianti subzones. Sangiovese here ripens later and slower than in the Chianti Classico region south of Florence, producing wines with sharper acidity and a longer life in the cellar.
Several historic estates run cellar visits and tastings by appointment: the Frescobaldi castle at Nipozzano, Castello del Trebbio at Santa Brigida, Selvapiana on the road to Rufina, and the Travignoli estate higher up the valley. The annual Bacco Artigiano festival, held in Pontassieve at the end of September, gathers all the local producers in the streets of the old town.