Explore the evolution of Chianti Classico: from dated white grape blends to refined, predominantly Sangiovese reds, showcasing modern winemaking. Read more
Badia a Passignano Winery Guide
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Last updated: November 25, 2023
Winery Overview
The enticing blend of history, culture, and gastronomy at Badia a Passignano is a perfect example of why Tuscany endures as a favorite destination for food and wine connoisseurs. This Antinori-owned winery, a rolling estate tucked into the heart of Chianti Classico, is as well-loved for its fascinating historical setting as for its luscious Chianti Classico Riserva di Badia a Passignano wine.
The 215-hectare estate encircles a beautiful ancient abbey still owned by the Vallombrosian monks. Although the year of its founding is unclear – some historians claim the year 395, while others push it back to 891 – there is no doubt that the Abbey played a vital role in Tuscan winemaking throughout the last millennium. Even in ancient times, the Vallombrosians were known for their scholarship and winemaking expertise; the order reached a pinnacle of power in the Middle Ages when it owned nearly a quarter of Tuscany. Although Badia a Passignano was sacked and burned in the 12th and 13th centuries, it was later rebuilt and, by the 1500s, had gained fame for being a center of science and learning. Galileo Galilei taught mathematics here in 1587, and the monks were great students of literature and music, amassing impressive libraries that still exist today. For centuries, this progressive monastic community cultivated the land and cared for the vineyards. A fascinating link to the area’s long winemaking history came with the 1983 discovery of a thousand-year-old vine near the estate.
Today, as in ages past, the wine made here is aged in the vast cellars that run beneath the Abbey. Bought in 1987 by the esteemed Antinori winemaking family (now in its 26th generation of vintners), the estate produces a single wine: Chianti Classico Riserva di Badia a Passignano.
Wines produced
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Chianti Classico Riserva di Badia a Passignano
Sangiovese 100%, Alc. 13.5%
Winery Contact Details
Badia a Passignano
Via Passignano 33Loc. Badia a Passignano 50028
Tavarnelle Val di Pesa (FI), Italy
Email: [email protected]
Tel +39 055 8071278
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Facts & Figures
Appellation
(DOCG) Chianti Classico
Founded
This was a working estate as early as 395 and was purchased by the Antinori family in 1987.
Area under Vine
50 hectares
Age of vines
Oak barrel origin
The majority of the wine is aged in barriques (and a small part in barrels of 500-700 liter capacity) for about 14 months, followed by 12 months in the bottle before releasing the wine to the market.
Winemaker
Roberto Stucchi Prinetti
Owner
The Antinori family
Production
Grape varietals
Sangiovese, Cabernet and Syrah
Grape Varieties Used by the Winery
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Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc grape is a close relative of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and is the principal blending grape used in Bordeaux.
Find out more -
Sangiovese
Unearthing Sangiovese: Italy's Ancient Grape with a Complex History. Explore its journey from Etruscans to modern-day excellence.
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Syrah
Syrah is dark-skinned and perhaps the most underrated of the 'noble' red grape varieties.
Find out more
Winery Appellations
Author
Further Reading: Discover More Related Blog Content
More information
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