The Villa is one of the largest, most prestigious and elegant villas found in the hills of San Casciano, in Val di Pesa, in the Chianti Classico region (above Florence). Once known as the a€œqueen of the villasa€� it has been owned by some of the most illustrious Tuscan aristocratic families, from the Machiavellia€™s to the Corsinia€™s.The beautiful landscape offers sweeping views of lush greenery extending over about 42 hectares, 25 of which are given over to vineyards and 13 to olive groves. The villa was built between the late 1600s and early 1700s by Lorenzo Merlini, an architect who was very popular with the Florentine nobility of the day.The building consists of a central block and two a€œL-shapeda€� wings which house apartments and offices, a chapel and winter garden; to the south, the wings enclose a beautiful Italian-style garden.The interiors are a celebration of colour, tromp la€™oeil and allegorical paintings - created at the end of the 17th century by Pier Dandini, Matteo Bonechi and students - adorning the ceilings of the two rooms adjacent to the main hall on the ground floor.The rooms and parlours on the upper levels, which can be reached via the splendid staircase, are varied in style and luxury.Today, It is a national monument.Throughout its history, the building houses Papa Pius VII when he was called by Napoleon in France for his coronation.The gardens of the villa display a rich variety of ornamental water features, flower beds, hedges and alternating views and heights.In keeping with the 18th century layout, plants and trees typical of the period have been planted and the original stone irrigation system - one of the best preserved in Tuscany a€“ has been restored. The garden maintains its charm throughout the year as a result of the rotation of seasonal plants: antique roses, aromatics, perennials and annuals.The a€œGarden of Seasonsa€� is at its most spectacular in April, when the scented blossoms of bulbous plants come to life. The exotic summer garden is no less fragrant, dominated by dahlias, sage, multi-coloured clematis and giant Indian hibiscus. In every season, the entire garden is framed by a golden crown of 120, hundred-year old lemon trees. The garden includes a marvellous swimming pool situated a short distance from the villa.Today, it is also a commercial farm of the highest order specialised in wine and oil production.The villaa€™s mission is to preserve the flavours and colours of this noble land while maintaining a healthy balance between modern agriculture techniques and respect for the land.The Scopeti vineyard takes its name from a village and spread over about 8000 m2 of land. The great abundance of heather growing in the area was once used for the creation of brooms.It is located on one of the best hilly position of the Company in a clay soil and well structured;Here they produce a Sangiovese cru for the production of Chianti Classico Riserva, austere wine and fleshy in which the power of the product is combined beautifully with the elegance of wood used in the aging of 24 months.The vineyard "La Villa" takes its name from the proximity to the monumental residence and covers an area of ca. 2.5 hectares.It is proudly the starting vineyard of the company project;On this land is cultivated Sangiovese, it matured for 12 months in French oak barrels for an elegant Chianti Classico DOCG.The Cassia vineyard presents a suggestive horseshoe form and named after the ancient Roman consular road that surrounds it for 2/3 of the perimeter. The plant was executed in 2003 and its 20,000 m2 of land have a density of 5,000 plants per hectare with the best selections of Sangiovese clones.The vineyard DovecoteThe name comes from the shelter that these birds found in the farmhouse that stands on this ground and that will become the administrative headquarters and point of sale of farm products.18000 m2 of young Sangiovese, was placed just in 2002, but the mixed exposure north / south is a source of great hope;The vineyard Greve is named for its proximity to the river Greve. The unique feature is that the stones of the old river bed, warming, allowing an excellent maturation of the grapes that are produced on an area of about 3.5 ha.In this plot were planted different grapes, from Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc up to the Merlot that, vinified and aged in purity, contribute to the production of Supertuscan.The modern winery has three distinct buildings: a room used for fermentation and storage in stainless total capacity of over 3000 hl where the most advanced enological techniques allow the transformation of the grapes in the most natural way possible in order to preserve intact aromas.Connected by an underground tunnel from the winery you can enter the premises for the refining and aging of wines in wood.The last room cooled and conditioned allows the storage of bottles ensuring the best environmental conditions.
