For more than eight centuries, Castello di Verrazzano has played a pivotal role in the evolution of Chianti Classico. From the earliest mention of its vineyards to the establishment of the Chianti Classico Consorzio, of which the estate was a founding member, Verrazzano has been synonymous with this hilly, beautiful land for hundreds of years. The castle’s most famous resident, Giovanni da Verrazzano, born in 1485, would go on to become one of the most important Italian explorers of the New World. He was also the first to explore the east coast of the United States; New York’s Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge commemorates the day he first sailed into the New York harbor on April 17, 1524.
The Verrazzano castle and surrounding gardens dates back to the 12th century (1150). The estate’s vines have been cultivated since 1170 and the historic cellars have remained in continuous production. Since acquiring the estate, the Cappellini family has replanted Verrazzano’s vineyards, which fan out from the forest limits down to the valley below. The estate is organic certified.
Located on a hilltop in Greve, Verrazzano’s 220 acre estate includes 52 hectares of vineyards at altitudes between 280 and 400 meters above sea level, higher than average Chianti Classico vineyards. Though present in southern parts of the Classico area, limestone is unique to Verrazzano which is in the cooler, northern part of the zone. This singular combination of limestone soil and cooler growing conditions accounts for the wines’ muscularity and finesse.
Castello di Verrazzano’s website
