Volpaia
(Winery in Chianti Classico)
About Winery and Wines
Castello di Volpaia is owned by the Mascheroni Stianti family and although each of them comes from totally different experiences, they fell in love with this "gift" that Giovannella Stianti Mascheroni received for her wedding. Each member of the family found himself participating in this adventure almost without realizing it, he built his life by modulating it in order to obtain time and energy to devote to him. Volpaia was born as a fortified medieval village in a sentinel position on the Pesa valley and on the top of a back. Today it remains part of the walls and two of the 6 towers. Instead, the medieval urban fabric is intact with the rural houses and buildings that make Volpaia one of the best preserved examples of a fortified rural village: a complex that framed among the vineyards, olive trees and woods that surround it, represents a real monument of a culture founded then as today on the vine and the olive tree. In the oldest part of the village, a professional kitchen has been created in which seminars and daily cooking courses are held. Another corner of the village houses "Osteria Volpaia" and in front of the oven. 10 modern rooms have been built on the edge of the Castle, while on the other side there are 2 small and refined apartments for longer stays.
Before being turned into wine and appearing in a bottle on your table, our grapes travel around the entire village. In fact visitors can take a guided tour of the castle cellars starting from the sacristy and ending up in the cellars of the various churches which are now dedicated to the making and aging of Volpaia wine. The vendemmia, or grape harvest, is obviously the busiest and most exciting time of the year as it’s the culmination of everyone’s hard work throughout the rest of the year. We usually start picking the grapes that ripen earliest, Sauvignon and Chardonnay, in the second week of September. We then go on to the Merlot and Syrah and, by the first half of October, finish gathering the Sangiovese and Cabernet. The grapes are all hand picked and carried in boxes holding not more than 15 to 20 kilos so that they reach the cellars in perfect condition.