This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)

The name Frescobaldi in Tuscan viticulture and oenology evokes a family tradition that dates back to the XVIII century, and since then several generations of the same name have managed this highly successful winemaking company.

Around 1960, Vittorio, the current owner of the properties, modernized the company based in Florence, including its nine different properties in Tuscany and one in Friuli – a total 2.200 acres featuring different pedoclimatic conditions.

The Frescobaldi estates are located in some of the most suitable and famous winemaking areas of Tuscany: Chianti Rufina, Montalcino, Pomino, Colli Fiorentini, and Maremma Toscana.

The Castle of Nipozzano, the most famous and historic property of the Frescobaldi family, is an ancient stronghold, built in the year 1000. Its name, which literally means “without a well”, still reminds us of the little water available in that area – an ideal feature for growing vines. The Castle is located east of Florence overlooking the Arno River valley. Thanks to the perfect combination of altitude, soil and cool, breezy microclimate, different vine varieties have found the best growing conditions.

The Pomino estate, on the other hand, dates back to 1500 when its castle was built on the Apennines east of Florence, in a fascinating landscape rich in fir trees (Picea abies L. H. Karst.) and chestnut trees (Castenea sativa Mill.). In 1716, the very territory of Pomino was identified by Cosimo III de’ Medici among the four most suitable ones in Tuscany for the production of quality wines, alongside with Chianti; furthermore, this estate features the highest vineyards in all of Tuscany at 2.296 ft above sea level, and thus benefiting from a cool and breezy microclimate.

The village of Castelgiocondo in Montalcino is an ancient stronghold built in the year 1100. It dominates the historic Frescobaldi estate south-west of Montalcino and was originally built to provide protection to the road from the sea to Siena. Its historical importance is testified by the knight Guidoriccio da Fogliano who still appears on the wine labels inspired by a famous fresco by Simone Martini from Siena. The estate is located in an ideal terroir not only for Sangiovese but also for other great vines; the vineyards are located at heights between 984 and 1.312 ft and benefit from well-drained soils and sunny exposures.

Tenuta Castiglioni has been a Frescobaldi property since the XI century and represents the centre of origin of wine production. That area was already famous in ancient Roman times for its high quality of crops – it was also an important commercial hub for centuries. Castiglioni is located on the gentle hills south-west of Florence, in Val di Pesa – a popular place packed with luxurious holiday homes. In that area the soils are fertile and quite variegated, featuring both stony and clayey contents, ideal for the cultivation of vines such as Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. The microclimate is warm and dry, with afternoon breezes coming from the Tyrrhenian sea; thanks to these peculiarities the grapes ripen more quickly and completely.

The latest property in chronological order is Tenuta dell’Ammiraglia in Magliano in Toscana – the heart of Maremma. That very area has a great potential for the production of high-quality wines; it is also blessed by uncontaminated and most beautiful nature.
The winery estate, designed by Piero Sartogo, is a fantastic example of architecture at the service of wine production, while thoroughly respecting the surrounding environment.
The vineyards of that estate create evocative geometries on the hills all the way to the nearby Tyrrhenian coast. The amount of sunlight is extremely abundant and when combined with the sea breezes it creates perfect growing conditions for the vines. A rain basin has been created to further enhance this most unique territory.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)