Brief History
This creates a continuous succession of colors and hues around the Brolio Castle, which is located within the town limits of Gaiole in Chianti. Since 1993, Baron Francesco Ricasoli has been guiding this central Tuscan company in innovative challenges. This has been done with the deepest respect for his renowned ancestors who have made this territory great, Bettino Ricasoli first and foremost.
Francesco Ricasoli, current owner and President of the company, has generated new ideas and concepts to render the vineyards sustainable. The ongoing study of soil types and the clonal selection of the Brolio Sangiovese are among his greatest passions, and he has totally renovated the vineyards and completely mapped them.
The new wines are therefore the expression of research carried out with the same scientific rigor of his illustrious ancestor but with a contemporary spirit, like a runner receiving the baton and carrying it forward with renewed energy.
Production
StylesVarieties in wines
Appellations grown
Contact Info
Ricasoli Wine Club
FRIENDS OF RICASOLI CLUB
The special privilege of being part of a Club of Friends, those of Ricasoli, where refinement and exclusivity are sophisticated prerogatives. The previews, the special invitations, the news, the warm welcome and much more: all of these are reserved for you, as a member of the Club.
CLUB 1141
For those who are already members of the Friends of Ricasoli Club and appreciate belonging to that refined place, Club 1141 offers you even more privileges and greater attention. By invitation only, you can obtain the highest status and join a small group of wine lovers and collectors.
Classic Tour
Discovering the history and the wines of Barone Ricasoli
From 2 to 20 people
Duration: 2 hours
Start: 10:30 AM
Our Classic Tour is the best way to get to know the enchanting past of a family that helped write the history of the Chianti Classico area. Ricasoli is one of the oldest companies in the world, among the first Italian winemakers, and has been owned by the same family for 32 generations.
The guided tour begins with Brolio Castle, which dates back to the 11th century and has been property of the Ricasoli family since 1141. Emblem and foundation of the company, it was naturally the only choice for the label of our iconic wine. The tour continues in our modern wine-making facilities and then in the spacious cellars where our wine is aged, and concludes by tasting a selection of Ricasoli wines in a private room, guided by our specialized staff. Today as in the past, our wines are the expression of our dedication, professionality and innovation.
Price: € 30 per person (discount for teenagers, without wine tasting). Due to the nature of this tour, children ages 0 through 12 years of age are not permitted.
Available online
Reservations: You can check availability and book directly on-line
Vineyard Tour
Grape varieties, vineyards and Crus: the Terroir of Brolio
From 2 to 6 people
Duration: 2 hours
Start: 03:00 PM
Soil, exposition, climate, vineyards and grape varieties. This tour is dedicated to the various terroirs of Brolio, which with their wide-ranging diversity contribute to the uniqueness of the natural environment where our grapevines grow.
An important part of this tour is the tasting of our Cru wines, produced from the best selection of our grapes coming from individual vineyards. The visitor will easily understand how many different factors contribute to the production of wines whose personalities vary greatly not only within individual wine appellations (Chianti Classico DOCG), but even within a single estate.
Price: € 45 per person (max 6 people)
Available: At 3:00 pm on Thursdays, meeting point at the Wine Shop. From 16 March to 30 October.
Reservations: Required and must be made on-line.
Castle Grounds
VISIT TO THE GARDENS AND TASTING
Duration: 1 hour
From mid-March until October, the gardens of Brolio Castle are open every day from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. The entrance fee includes a tasting of one wine at the Wine Shop, located near the Ricasoli cellars (see on the map); not included for groups over 10 people. Christmas Holidays: open December 27th-31st 2018 (10am - 3:30pm). Closed from January 1st to March 2019.
In addition to the castle gardens, it is possible to visit the Ricasoli Collection within the castle keep (€3 supplement per person), accessible only with our guides. Guided tours available in Italian, English, French and German.
Ticket fee: gardens €5 per person. Children up to 12 are free
For information: +39.0577.730280 or send an email to castello@ricasoli.it
* Hours may vary due to private events
* Restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner (except Thursdays). Please book at: +39.0577.730290
Osteria di Brolio
The Osteria restaurant welcomes its visitors with an atmosphere that is simple and elegant at the same time, as if at home, or in a Castle. This is our spirit: here you’ll encounter our territory in its dishes and in the glass. The charming landscape is itself an inspiration, and the nearby kitchen garden is a great stimulus for our chef, as he transforms and interprets the seasons and scents of classic Chianti. Traditional dishes can be found alongside innovative ones, both made exclusively with Tuscan products. The best olive oils, the tastiest meats, the fish from the nearby Mediterranean are all enriched at the table by careful pairing with wine. And often with delight.
Our menu reflects the spirit of the season and we use ingredients of the highest quality. The result is a very balanced cuisine with a light touch of well-placed creativity. Contrasts in flavors are gracefully highlighted, with great respect for the tradition. The wine list represents the panorama of our Ricasoli 1141 production: not only vintage wines, but also notable harvests and larger sizes are available to our clients.
Opening hours vary by season, please check the website for the current hours of operation at https://ricasoli.com/en/restaurant/
AgriBar Brolio
The Castle
History, art and culture: visit Brolio Castle, its gardens and the Ricasoli Collection
The first stones of Brolio Castle date back to the Middle Ages. The castle passed into the hands of the Ricasoli family thanks to an exchange of lands for which records can be found as early as 1141. Through the centuries the castle has suffered attack and destruction in numerous battles, from the Aragonese and Spanish assaults during the fifteenth century, to disputes in the seventeenth century, to the aerial bombings and rounds of artillery during the Second World War.
The castle has been rebuilt and modified several times and today it bears the marks of the different eras: there are the fortified medieval bastions, Romanesque and neo-Gothic additions and unique nineteenth century Tuscan details. Brolio Castle towers over the Ricasoli company lands, the most extensive in the Chianti Classico area, that unfold with a continuous succession of colors and hues over gentle hills, velvety valleys and thick woodlands of oaks and chestnuts.
The 1,200 hectares of property include 240 hectares of vineyards and 26 of olive groves, in the commune of Gaiole.
Agriturismo Agresto
A restored Tuscan farmhouse for a charming stay in the Chianti Classico area.
Agresto is one of the most beautiful eighteenth-century farmhouses on the Ricasoli estate and has been restored for farm holidays. Delightful and quiet, pretty and carefully furnished, Agresto is located on a hill southwest of Brolio Castle, surrounded by Brolio vineyards. Guests will enjoy a panorama that stretches from the towers of Siena to Mount Amiata and Radicofani. The villa has been restored with full knowledge of authentic rural Tuscan architecture, and includes a spacious living room, a dining area and four double rooms with bathrooms. Guests can also take in the breathtaking views while relaxing outside by the pool.
A dirt road through vineyards takes you to Agresto. You will need your own car during your stay.
Distances: The town of San Regolo is located only 3.5 km away and has a small family-run grocery store. Gaiole in Chianti is 14 km, and Siena is 20 km from Agresto.
The Agresto house is available for a minimum two night stay. Possibility of renting the entire house for a full week during July and August (exclusive use).