Exceptional wines, wonderful views, ancient villages, castles, villas, abbeys, parish churches and monasteries, all surrounded by rolling expanses of vineyards and olive trees...
This is Chianti.
It is difficult to choose what must visit during your holiday in Chianti,
but we will try to give you some good suggestions anyway.
Marchesi Antinori
Inside the earth, in the deep furrow of the hill, there is a “palace” …
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A winery that reveals the past, present and future of the Antinori family; designed to welcome wine enthusiasts inviting them to come into direct contact with their …
The ultra-modern winery in Chianti Classico is at the same time a secret cave and a place to communicate the tradition, the territory and its products, wine above all. An extraordinary architectural work formed by a labyrinth of vaults and sinuous volumes hidden among vines, olive trees and oak woods, along the ancient Via Cassia, which historically linked Florence to Siena.
The winery is a museum of art and beauty and it has been open to the public for 7 years and gives the opportunity to experience a visual and sensorial, artistic and artisan journey, to discover and taste the wine and the territory from which it derives, deep in the land of Tuscany.
This airy building produces wines such as Villa Antinori, Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva, Vinsanto del Chianti Classico, Pèppoli Chianti Classico and Pèppoli extra-virgin olive oil. Delights that preserve the art of know-how handed down for centuries.
“The Marchesi Antinori winery in Chianti Classico is a sign in the territory, an imprint of today’s time that has its roots in history, following the values of respect and love for wine and for the people who work it, united to the possibility of making people aware of our daily commitment. It is the indelible sign of our family’s love for wine “. Read more >>
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Tuscany, Florence, San Casciano V.P.
Brolio castle
History, art and culture: visit Brolio Castle, its gardens and the Ricasoli Collection
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The first stones of Brolio Castle date back to the Middle Ages. The castle passed into the hands of the Ricasoli family thanks to an exchange of lands for which records can be found as early as 1141. Through the centuries the castle has suffered attack and destruction in numerous battles, from the Aragonese and Spanish assaults during the fifteenth century, to disputes in the seventeenth century, to the aerial bombings and rounds of artillery during the Second World War.
The castle has been rebuilt and modified several times and today it bears the marks of the different eras: there are the fortified medieval bastions, Romanesque and neo-Gothic additions and unique nineteenth century Tuscan details. Brolio Castle towers over the Ricasoli company lands, the most extensive in the Chianti Classico area, that unfold with a continuous succession of colors and hues over gentle hills, velvety valleys and thick woodlands of oaks and chestnuts. The 1,200 hectares of property include 240 hectares of vineyards and 26 of olive groves, in the commune of Gaiole.
Tuscany, Siena, Gaiole in Chianti
Badia a Passignano
The heart of Badia a Passignano is its Abbey, with remote origins and still absolutely fascinating today …
The Badia di Passignano, located in the heart of Chianti Classico, is an ancient monastery dating back to 395, when it was founded by the Archbishop of Florence. Even today it is inhabited by the monks of the Vallombrosian order, guardians of its cultural and historical treasures. The Vallombrosian order, a reformed branch of the Benedictines specialized in viticulture and forestry, was established by San Giovanni Gualberto whose relics have been found in the abbey church since his death in 1073.
The Vallombrosani monks and the Badia di Passignano have been known since the Middle Ages for their attention to classical and musical texts, for promoting scientific research (Galileo Galilei taught there in 1587) and for the care of the territory through crops, especially vines. and reforestation.
Tuscany, Florence, Badia a Passignano
Fonterutoli
The excellence of the wines of Castello di Fonterutoli is world-renowned and represents one of the landmarks of all Chianti Classico ….
Fonterutoli The village of Fonterutoli, an ancient Florentine bulwark, a few kilometers from Castellina in Chianti, enjoys an extraordinary view of Siena, close enough to distinguish the Torre del Mangia and the silhouette of the Duomo. The centuries-old belonging to the Marquises Mazzei has preserved almost unchanged the few houses, the church of San Miniato and the villa, built at the end of the 1500s in place of the fortified castle. Here time has stopped, preserving the charm of the Middle Ages.
The legend of the Black Rooster leads to Fonterutoli.
In 1202 and 1208 Fonterutoli was the seat of two peace treaties between Florence and Siena which assigned the territory of Chianti to the Florentines. A popular legend tells a funny story: in the early 13th century the two cities, worn out by the war for Chianti, decided to entrust the definition of the border to the meeting point between two knights each coming from their own city starting at the first song of the rooster. The Florentines relied on a black rooster who, left without food, let out his cry well before dawn, allowing the Florentine knight to leave with great advantage and travel a long way before the meeting, which took place right in Fonterutoli. Since then Florence brought its border to Fonterutoli on the line of Castellina, Radda and Gaiole and constituted the Military and Administrative League of Chianti, assuming the Black Rooster as its emblem.
Tuscany, Siena, Castellina in Chianti
The wine route
The wineries to visit in Chianti Classico: Our advice …
Some wineries of Chianti Classico not to be missed:
Castello di Brolio: the Ricasoli, owners of Castello di Brolio, invented the Chianti Classico as we know it. And that should be enough to convince you.
Castello di Fonterutoli: their Chianti Classico is superb (90% Sangiovese). Tasted at the restaurant and bought in their wine shop.
Fattoria Castello di Monteriggioni: if the wines are like their restaurant “Il Cantinale”, then the Fattoria Castello di Monteriggioni is definitely worth a visit.
Antinori in Chianti Classico: with an incredible building by Archea Associati, the Antinori winery is a must see for a unique experience in this wine-growing land.
Castello di Verrazzano: splendid location and a reputation that leaves little room for doubt. We will definitely visit it next time.
Castello di Ama: Castello di Ama is also a company rooted in the area with a wine tradition to envy. A visit with tasting is a must.
The legend of the Black Rooster
Legend has it that more or less in the thirteenth century, when the republics of Florence and Siena were fighting bitterly to obtain supremacy over each other, the Chianti area, which lay between the two cities, was fiercely disputed. Thus, to put an end to the disputes and draw secure borders, a singular challenge was agreed: two knights would leave their respective cities and the border would be fixed at the point of their meeting. The departure had to take place at dawn and the start signal would have been given by the crowing of a rooster. In fact, it is an idea that may surprise today, but which at the time was consistent with the lifestyle and daily rhythms of citizens still marked by natural mechanisms. The choice of the rooster was therefore decisive, as well as that of the steed and the rider. The Sienese chose a white rooster, while the Florentines opted for a black rooster and used a stratagem worthy of Ulysses with his Trojan horse: they kept the black rooster closed and fasted in a dark, small coop for several days, in order to induce it in a strong state of exasperation.
The cunning of Florence
On the day of departure, as soon as it was released from the coop, the furious black rooster began to sing its cry for help and despair at the top of its lungs, despite the fact that dawn was still far away. The knight of Florence left immediately, being able to count on a great advantage at the base over the other that instead would have to wait for the first light of day, when his rooster, presumably, would have started crowing. And so it happened. The knight of Florence had been galloping at full speed for hours when the knight of Siena left. The delay of the Sienese was enormous, so much so that he only managed to travel 12 kilometers before meeting the Florentine in Fonterutoli. For the shrewd Florence was made: almost all of Chianti passed under the control of the Florentine Republic, long before the fall of Siena itself.
Tuscany, Chiantishire
Chiantishire
The Chianti territory with its hilly countryside
of incomparable beauty lies in the heart of Tuscany.
Mediaeval villages, castles, churches, abbeys, monasteries, cottages and villas lie one after the other in a fantastic itinerary that exalts the activity and inventiveness of man; centuries of work have modelled the hills of this region and the alternation of the olive groves and the forests creates a harmony unique to the world.
In any case, the visitor will be offered an unforgettable countryside always varying and harmonious and so diverse in colours and in atmosphere with the changing seasons. There are many ways to get to one of the parish churches, castles or isolated towns, silent witnesses to the historical and artistic richness of the Chianti region.
It does not matter how one gets there: whether by car, motorcycle, bicycle or bus, there are many possibilities for staying and enloying a few days’ holiday in the relaxing atmosphere of Chianti, tasting the gastronomic specialties of the region accompanied by wines that have made Chianti famous all over the world.
Tuscany, Chiantishire
Read the articles dedicated to Tuscany and Chianti.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most frequent questions and answers
Who can I contact for a cooking class?
Debora & Irene passionate about the flavors of good traditional Tuscan cuisine will be able to teach you new tricks and recipes.
Which restaurant do you recommend near Casalta di Pesa?
Osteria alla Piazza
Mob. +39 331 926 7403
Tel. +39 0577 733 572
Where is the nearest supermarket?
Where can I find the most spectacular view?
If you want to try a unique experience, even if a little expensive, we suggest a balloon ride over the Chianti hills.
