Tuscany, Siena, Siena, Italy

17th-century wine estate in the heart of Chianti Classico, 4,431 square metres, 110,000 bottles, 2 swimming pools and 160 hectares of certified organic land, Castellina in Chianti REF. CNT383 In the heart of Chianti Classico, 450 metres above sea level in a location offering unobstructed views across the hills of Siena and Florence, Tenuta La Vanvitelliana is one of Tuscany’s great wine estates at its very finest: historic architecture, certified organic production, a long-standing tradition of hospitality and a rural landscape of exceptional integrity that tells the story of centuries of cultivation and culture. At the heart of the estate is the 18th-century manor house, inspired by Vanvitellian architecture — an 18th-century style of great rarity in Chianti, featuring a watchtower, colonnades, arched windows and a façade perfectly preserved in its original form. An avenue of cypress trees leads into the landscaped park that frames the villa, featuring belvedere-style terraces, travertine balustrades and colonnades, fountains and a 16×8-metre swimming pool with Roman steps overlooking the vineyard landscape. Inside, there are three large reception rooms — one with windows on three sides — two dining rooms, a kitchen, a study, a billiard room and eight double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, all in their original 18th-century style. The villa is complemented by a tavern with a wood-fired oven and a consecrated private Catholic chapel, which is still used for ceremonies. The 14th-century hamlet — the operational heart of the estate — is centred around a small square with a fountain and comprises the 671-square-metre winemaking cellar, the 162-square-metre olive press, the vinsanto cellar, the ageing cellar, the tasting room, the on-site shop, the offices and staff accommodation: a complete and fully functional production facility. Two historic 14th-century farmhouses, converted into eleven holiday apartments, can accommodate up to 39 guests in total, with a second 12×3-metre swimming pool. A farmhouse awaiting restoration and a building used as a warehouse and garage complete the property. The 19.4 hectares of vineyards in the Chianti Classico DOCG area — planted between 1980 and 2012, trained using the spurred cordon method at an altitude of 430 metres, with a blend of traditional and international varieties led by Sangiovese — produce up to 110,000 bottles a year: Chianti Classico, Gran Selezione, Riserva, Vinsanto and Grappa. The 21.2-hectare organic olive grove, with 5,500 trees (Frantoio, Moraiolo, Leccino), produces around 5,000 kg of extra virgin olive oil per year. Everything — vineyards, olive groves, production — is certified 100 per cent organic. The 3,300-square-metre private lake, 105 hectares of woodland, orchards and arable land complete an agricultural estate that leaves nothing to be desired. It is 7 km from Castellina in Chianti via a tarmac road, 60 km from Florence and approximately 25 km north of Siena, with no unpaved sections of road – a rare advantage for an estate of this size.