In 2007 Ruffino celebrated its 130th anniversary of making wine in Tuscany, Italy, after their founding by Ilario Ruffino in 1877. Seventy years later in 1947 the winery produced their first Riserva Ducale Oro, which happened to coincide with the birth of Norman B. Bentley, in the budding wine town of Napa, California. Only a few years later little Norman was taken to the family's favorite Napa Italian Restaurant, which happened to be called Ruffino's, where he first sampled Marinara Sauce.

In 1957 young Norman sampled his first taste of Ruffino Chianti at the once famous Spano's Italian Restaurant in Columbus, Ga at the ripe old age of ten! Already a lover of Marinara Sauce he now became a disciple of Ruffino Chianti. And so the story goes!

I still love Marinara Sauce and I still love Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro Chianti Classico! Spano's is no longer open in Columbus after more than one-hundred years of operation, however just a few years ago when we were in Napa, we had dinner at Ruffino's, and the Marinara Sauce was just as I had remembered, and so was the Ruffino Chianti.

We have available the 2004 Riserva Ducale Oro which is one of the better vintages of the last decade. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate scored this one a 91, with the following quote: "The 2004 Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro remains the bellwether wine from this historic property. It is a layered, full-bodied wine with attractive notes of tobacco, sweet red cherries, wild herbs, and toasted oak. The wine's density, persistence and complexity make it one of the better versions in recent memory."

If you want a fantastic dinner, pair this one with Veal Marsala, a side of Spaghetti Marinara, and a salad of artichoke hearts and Roma tomatoes in Vinigarette, with warm Italian bread. Mama Mia! I reccomend one bottle for each two people in the party!