It makes sense that so many wineries today are located on the grounds of castles and noble estates as these are often home to long-standing vineyards and wine production facilities that are centuries-old. Even if these estates have long since passed from the hands of a noble family, the tradition of wine being made in such places continues on into the modern era. One such estate is that of the Castello della Paneretta, which is located right smack in the globally famous Tuscan wine-producing region that is the Chianti Classico area, on the western slopes of the hills overlooking the Val d'Elsa, facing towards San Gimignano. If you have found a vacation rental in Chianti and you are looking for a traditional winery experience, then this is a really great choice!
Wine production at Castello della Paneretta is recorded as far back as 1596 when the first harvest is described in farm documents that can be found in the Riccardiana Library. This makes Castello della Paneretta one of the oldest companies in the Chianti Classico area and, certainly, one of the most long-standing producers of wine in Tuscany. The castle itself was built on the site of an ancient watch tower, the Cepparello fortress, which was located a little lower down the slope and was abandoned and destroyed after the Battle of Montaperti in 1260. Built in the 14th century, the Castello della Paneretta is a striking medieval stronghold that is characterised by massive walls, a Guelph battlement, and corner towers, all framing a keep at the centre.
Wine production at Castello della Paneretta is recorded as far back as 1596 when the first harvest is described in farm documents that can be found in the Riccardiana Library. This makes Castello della Paneretta one of the oldest companies in the Chianti Classico area and, certainly, one of the most long-standing producers of wine in Tuscany. The castle itself was built on the site of an ancient watch tower, the Cepparello fortress, which was located a little lower down the slope and was abandoned and destroyed after the Battle of Montaperti in 1260. Built in the 14th century, the Castello della Paneretta is a striking medieval stronghold that is characterised by massive walls, a Guelph battlement, and corner towers, all framing a keep at the centre.
In the sixteenth century the castle was in the possession of the Vettori family and then passed into the Capponi family when Maddalena Vettori married Ludovico Capponi in 1577 and brought the property as part of her dowry. They restored the whole structure and transformed it from a medieval fortress into a country villa. They also commissioned a series of incredible frescoes for the loggia of the inner courtyard by Bernardino Poccetti and put the place on the map as a haven for the arts, attracting writers and artists who came to stay at the castle. Then the castle became the property of the Riccardi-Strozzi family when Cassandra Capponi married Carlo Riccardi-Strozzi in 1669. Under this family, the building continued to be beautified and worked on and it remained in their possession right up until 1984.
It was then, in 1984, that Fabio Albisetti decided to fulfil a lifelong dream and start his own winery. He bought the Castello della Paneretta after around a decade of neglect in the 1970s. Thankfully, Albisetti returned the castle to its original splendour and also built up its reputation as a producer of excellent wines. The new owners restructured the whole vineyard and have obtained national and international awards for their produce since the very first harvest in 1985. The 22 hectares of vineyard continue to be maintained today along the lines of Albisetti’s original philosophy of using only native vines (Sangiovese and Canaiolo), unlike most of their neighbours who use a mixture of international vines, and have birthed eight signature and award-winning in-house wines. Therefore, for a real taste of Chianti wines and an authentic winery experience, in the most beautiful and historic of settings, Castello della Paneretta is a perfect destination.
If you have found a holiday rental in Chianti, you can’t miss out on a winery experience at least once during your time in the area! Come and discover the rich tradition of wine and wine-making that has made this part of Tuscany so famous for yourself and discover what all of the fuss is about!
It was then, in 1984, that Fabio Albisetti decided to fulfil a lifelong dream and start his own winery. He bought the Castello della Paneretta after around a decade of neglect in the 1970s. Thankfully, Albisetti returned the castle to its original splendour and also built up its reputation as a producer of excellent wines. The new owners restructured the whole vineyard and have obtained national and international awards for their produce since the very first harvest in 1985. The 22 hectares of vineyard continue to be maintained today along the lines of Albisetti’s original philosophy of using only native vines (Sangiovese and Canaiolo), unlike most of their neighbours who use a mixture of international vines, and have birthed eight signature and award-winning in-house wines. Therefore, for a real taste of Chianti wines and an authentic winery experience, in the most beautiful and historic of settings, Castello della Paneretta is a perfect destination.
If you have found a holiday rental in Chianti, you can’t miss out on a winery experience at least once during your time in the area! Come and discover the rich tradition of wine and wine-making that has made this part of Tuscany so famous for yourself and discover what all of the fuss is about!
Photo credit: Vignaccia76 / CC BY-SA 3.0
