Barone Ricasoli

Located in the municipality of Gaiole in Chianti, the story that links the Ricasoli family to wine is very ancient. Some documents, in fact, show among the first depictions of Chianti the family tree; others, instead, attest the first exports of Brolio wines to Amsterdam and England in the late 1600s.

The birth of Chianti Classico as we know it today and of the Chianti formula dates back to 1872, when Baron Bettino Ricasoli created ‘the sublime wine, able to be sold and drunk all over the world, without losing its organoleptic characteristics during long journeys’ (from the book Siamo Onesti! Il barone che volle l’unità d’Italia by Michele Taddei).

In order to improve his wine and test its quality over long distances, the Baron used to travel extensively and embark his barrels on ships directed to all over the world. After three decades of experiments, he succeeded in creating the production rules for Chianti wine, which still today, even if slightly modified, establish the percentages of grapes needed to create a perfect Chianti Classico.

Today, almost 140 years later, Baron Francesco Ricasoli carries on his ancestors’ desire for innovation, which is reflected in the search for increasingly eco-sustainable quality.

The Ricasoli estate extends for 1200 hectares (240 vineyards and 25 olive groves) and has a unique biodiversity, which favours the maintenance of a rich and flourishing soil and guarantees the growth of quality products.

The company’s vineyards extend over a hilly area and have 5 different geological zones, each with different soils, altitudes and microclimates:

Macigno del chianti, where Sangiovese, Merlot and Chardonnay are grown;

Scaglie Toscana, where Sangiovese is grown;

Monte Morello, where Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are grown ; Depositi marini, where mainly Sangiovese is grown;

Terrazzo Fluviale Antico, where Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon are produced.

The vinification and fermentation process takes place inside the vat cellar, located at the foot of Brolio Castle, and involves a different management for each individual parcel (sometimes a further separation is made according to the morphology of the soil). Once the fermentation process is complete, the wines are transferred into oak casks, tonneaux and barriques and subjected to numerous laboratory controls.

Production includes: Chianti Classico (vintage, Riserva, in the DOCG Brolio Bettino version or in the Gran Selezione Ceniprimo, Colledilà and Roncicone) Torricella Bianco Toscana IGT, Castello di Brolio Gran Selezione, Grappa Riserva.