Castello di Volpaia

The hilltop village of Volpaia was built in the 11th century as a fortified village on the Florence-Siena border. Its medieval layout and buildings are still intact and part of the original outside walls and two of its six towers are still standing, making Volpaia one of the best-preserved walled villages of its period. Nine centuries after Volpaia was built, Raffaello Stianti purchased a portion of the estate in 1966 and when his adored his daughter, Giovannella, married Carlo Mascheroni in 1972 he presented them with the estate as a wedding gift. Today, the couple is joined by their two children, Nicolo and Federica, and the family is considered one of Italy’s leaders in organic viticulture and farming. In 2008 the family unveiled its second organically farmed venture, Prelius, on Tuscany’s gold coast.