When writing about historic wines and wine regions it’s easy to get lost in the history and the aesthetic. We often need to remember to focus on the wine itself! But with Villa Geggiano the... Read More

When writing about historic wines and wine regions it’s easy to get lost in the history and the aesthetic. We often need to remember to focus on the wine itself! But with Villa Geggiano the history, aesthetics, land and wine are all so intertwined that there’s no way to tell the story without mentioning some of it.

The estate sits on 20 hectares of prime Tuscan landscape just a couple miles northeast of Sienna. The grand villa dates to the 13th century, it’s now a national monument and has been lovingly restored along with the surrounding gardens, outdoor theater and numerous structures, statues, fountains etc. It has housed a pope among many other dignitaries and is now a popular set for films (Kenneth Brannagh’s 90’s era Much Ado About Nothing is a personal favorite).

Since 1527 the Bianchi Bandinelli family have been the owners and stewards of the property, and today it is brothers Andrea and Alessandro who are at the helm. Agriculture has always been integral to the estate, and the cultivation of vines and wine making has long been the focus. There are 8 hectares of land planted to vines and the brothers produce a range of classic Tuscan wines here in the heart of Chianti Classico.

Andrea, Alessandro and their team are not interlopers running a winery for tourists, far from it. They are dedicated to the vineyards and to the land writ large. They have always been organic, and they received certification back in 2006. If you visit in the late spring you’ll see fava beans planted between the vines to help with the cycle of nutrients, especially nitrogen. If you’re really lucky you’ll have said fava beans at lunch!

Their work in the cellar is best described as enlightened traditionalism, using the age old practices and wisdom of Tuscan winemaking but unafraid of experimentation and general improvement. In a region that fell too often into large scale, industrial winemaking during the second half of the 20th century this focus on farming and quality cellar management is key.