Our take
Ruffino 1877 Chianti DOCG Sangiovese Red Blend Italian Red Wine
- Style
- Red wine
- Size
- 750 ml
- Grape
- Sangiovese
- Region
- Chianti and Chianti Classico
- Shelf barcode
- 0083085903022
Our take
What we make of this bottle
Chianti is hill country in the middle of Tuscany, and Sangiovese is the grape those hills are known for. Our grape research describes Sangiovese as closely associated with central Italy; it is the main grape in Chianti wines, and it travels beyond Italy as a solo grape and a blending grape besides. This bottle's name says Sangiovese red blend; it names Sangiovese and the word blend, and it does not say how the blend is put together.
The next thing to check is a word that is not there. This wine is Chianti DOCG, not Chianti Classico DOCG, and those are two separate protected Italian designations with different boundaries and different production rules. The broad Chianti zone spreads across the central Tuscan hills; Classico is the higher inland country between Florence and Siena. One name is not a shorter version of the other, so a shopper hoping for Classico should know this bottle belongs to the broader designation.
The name also carries a number, 1877, and about that number our research is silent. We have verified nothing from the producer for this wine, so what the year marks stays an open question. The newer, narrower fact is this: in the September 2026 checks, the one store where we found the bottle asked $12.49.
By August 12, 2026, 35 shoppers had rated the wine. Those ratings average out to 4.49 of five. Our pricing so far comes from two of the stores we routinely check. For what to expect in the glass, an official guide to the category describes Sangiovese this way: cherry out front, herbs behind it, acidity that stays bright, and firm tannin, in styles that can run from light and direct to more concentrated depending on growing and winemaking choices.
Our call: pick it if the Sangiovese profile the category guide lays out, cherry fruit with bright acidity and firm tannin, is the style you already shop for; the Chianti DOCG name settles the origin before you lift the bottle. Pass if shopper ratings guide your choice: the average lands below the middle of the rated wines we cover, and our price record for this one is still thin.
The Grocery Store Wine Desk · written Sep 16, 2026 from our research file for this wine. Numbers reflect our latest checks.
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Read our take →The prices we checked
Dated store checks, not a promise about your store.
- Kroger, Atlanta suburbs, GA$12.49
- Kroger, Richmond, VA$13.99
The regular price can vary by store and date.
Research status
What we are still checking
Our overview above draws on the dated store feed, shopper ratings, our region and grape research, and any sourced producer facts. We are still working to confirm the current release, the full producer record, and the bottle itself, and we update this page as we learn more.
Getting to know Chianti and Chianti Classico.
Both names point to Sangiovese-led Tuscan wine, but they have different boundaries and production rules. Reading the full label is the first step because the two names should not be collapsed into one legal category.
What the name means
Chianti DOCG and Chianti Classico DOCG are separate protected Tuscan designations. A bottle labeled Chianti Classico is not simply a smaller wording variant of Chianti.
How grapes grow here
The broad Chianti zone crosses central Tuscan hills, while Chianti Classico occupies higher inland country between Florence and Siena. Elevation, slope and exposure create local differences within both designations.
What lies under the vines
Clay and limestone are common, with sandstone, marl and stony ground varying by district. Neither designation reduces the whole area to one soil.
How large the region is
- Chianti DOCG vineyard base
- The Chianti consortium reports about 15,500 hectares of vineyard and about 3,000 producers.
- Label check
- Keep the complete designation when mapping a wine so Chianti and Chianti Classico remain distinct.
Places within the region
- Chianti DOCG
- The larger designation extends across six Tuscan provinces and includes named zones such as Rufina and Colli Senesi.
- Chianti Classico DOCG
- The historic production zone lies between Florence and Siena and has its own consortium and rules.
Getting to know Sangiovese.
Sangiovese is a red grape closely associated with central Italy and is the main grape in Chianti wines. It is also grown elsewhere as a varietal wine or blending grape.
Category guide
What to expect in the glass
An official category guide describes cherry-led fruit, herbs, clear acidity and firm tannin. Climate, yield, blending and oak can move the result from light and direct to more concentrated.
Sources: New Zealand Winegrowers. Checked Aug 10, 2026. See all 8 Sangiovese wines we cover →
Where this information comes from
- Store listing
- Price, package, product identifier, and shopper rating. Checked Aug 10, 2026.
- Barcode
- The shelf barcode shown here is computed from the store product identifier. It has not been checked against a bottle.
- Method
- Every price, rating and fact here is a dated observation. How we check.