Experiencing a boutique hotel in the heart of the Chianti Classico wine region brings wonderful memories: gazing at marvelous landscapes, tasting authentic Tuscan cuisine, and enjoying the best Chianti wines!
Chianti wines, and in particular Chianti Classico wines are world famous. They were formally served in a “fiasco”, that is a bottle covered with a straw cover. But the “fiaschi” have disappeared, and renowned wineries are now surrounding our boutique hotel where together with a genuine Tuscan cuisine, you will be able to taste the best Chianti Classico wines. We also organize for our guests wine tastings and visit of cellars … No need to take your car, you can even walk to some of them!
But before you come and spend an unforgettable breakaway in Tuscany, you might wish to know a little bit more about the Chianti wines/ Following are a few tips:
- Chianti has been made with Sangiovese grapes since th times of the Etruscans, therefore even before the Romans started to occupy Tuscany.
- Seven subregions form Chianti: Chianti Classico, Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Pisani, Colli Senesi, Montalbano and Rufina with the most famous being Chianti Classico.
- The Chianti Classico region occupies about 173,000 acres with 18,000 acres of vineyards
- In 2011, the Chianti Classico region produced about 7.4 million gallons of wine
- Galestro and alberese are the two primary types of soil. North of Chianti has more galestro, South of Chianti more albarese. Galestro soil is schist based while Albarese soil is more a limestone. Sangiovese thrives in Galestro which is present in the wineries around Villa le Barone.
- Pruning of the vine is mostly made in the Guyot style.()
- Growers normally leave five clusters of grapes on each vine, each vine makes in average a bottle of wine.
- Chianti Classico must comprise at least 80% Sangiovese and the other 20% can include several other red grapes (Merlot, Cabernet…). The best of Chianti Classico is aged carefully in barriques and becomes Chianti Classico Riserva IGT, the top of the top, accounts for 5% of the Chianti Classico production and can contain any kind of red grapes; some winemakers choose to do it with 100% Sangiovese.
- When you sip a glass of Chianti – especially at Villa le Barone – you are sipping history through a long tradition of wine making.