Castello di Volpaia

Volpaia is a village located between Siena and Florence, in the heart of the Chianti Clasico area, in the commune of Radda in Chianti. Castello di Volpaia is a fortress that dominates the village. It was built in the 11th century and has survived to this day in excellent condition. Volpaia is also a famous family, who took their surname from the village, Benvenuto and Lorenzo Della Volpaia became famous during the Renaissance as inventors of various machines. Lorenzo Della Volpaia was a friend of Leonardo da Vinci. Their inventions are exhibited in the science museums of Florence and Greenwich, as well as in the Adler Planetarium in Chicago and the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. The first document attesting to the cultivation of vines in Volpaia dates back to April 1, 1172, and on May 14, 1824, Volpaia was among the founders of the "consortium for the protection of the typical Chianti wine and its designation of origin." The current owners, the Mascheroni Satianti family, acquired the fortress and the vineyards around it in 1967. In 1997, Carlo Mascheroni became the first president of the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium who was not a native of Tuscany (he was from Milan, and his wife was from Florence). Today, the family's estate covers 364 hectares, of which 46.5 hectares are vineyards and 16 hectares are olive groves. The vineyards are located at altitudes ranging from 400 to 650 meters above sea level, and are all certified for the production of organic wines. When the Mascheroni family bought the estate, they had to integrate the winery into the 11th century village, with old houses and stone pavement. They were the first in Chianti Classico to use stainless steel vats for fermentation. A unique wine pipeline was laid along the streets of the village, ensuring that the wine flows from the stainless steel vats in the upper part to the lower part of the estate, where the wine is aged in barrels. All the cellars are connected by an underground pipeline.

The great Riccardo Cotarella is the consulting oenologist of Castello di Volpaia. The love for their work and the daily painstaking work of the Mascheroni family have been repeatedly appreciated by critics. One of their latest achievements was the 3rd place in the TOP-100 Winespectator 2018 for Chianti Classico Riserva Castello di Volpaia 2015.