Il Palazzo - Chianti, Toscana, Italy

Il Palazzo has an ancient history lasting for 80 years and it has seen three generations of succession to devote his time to agriculture. Banelli’s bought the entire estate, including the Mediaeval Borough, in the 40’s.

What today looks like the Estate Il Palazzo has been over the years a stopping point for travelers, because of its location along the ancient Via Ariminensis or Salt Road which connected Rome to Rimini. Later it was a source of employment for the inhabitants of the area. The company was divided into four farms where four patriarchal families of 55 people lived and worked. Around the 60's the industrial development absorbed agricultural workers and turned them into workers causing the exodus from the countryside. This also happened to our company, which became depopulated between 1965 and 1970.

Since 1971 Banelli’s has started managing the company and hiring wage laborers.

In 1976 the two owners Mrs. Anna Maria Banelli and her husband Primo began to restore the hamlet of the Estate recovering its original architectural value and at the same time devoting to the farmhouse. There were important land improvements such as the irrigation systems, an artificial reservoir to collect rainwater to be used to irrigate crops during the summer.

All this has improved and maintained steady income, focusing on the expansion of new more profitable. crops Here is the implementation of the most modern olive groves and vineyards. In 2005 a very modern cellar was realized in the farm, where ancient materials such as brick and stone come together in harmony with a cutting-edge wine-making technology.

Over 105 acres, the property stands on a high hill 300-400 meters above sea level. In the center part there is the medieval hamlet with the swimming – pool, the farmhouse surrounded by 35 hectares of vineyards, 6,000 olive trees, woods and arable land.