AWARD WINNING WINE

Fattoria Vignavecchia in Radda has been owned by the Beccari family since 1870, when it was inherited from the Minucci family, the estate's original owners since the XVIII century.
It is one of the most traditional producers of Chianti Classico.
After spending years wandering through the forests of Borneo, Odoardo Beccari, a Florentine explorer, zoologist, botanist and ethnologist, retired to Radda in 1876 and devoted himself to his family's land.

Over the years, he had participated in the purchase of the Bay of Assab, visited the Cheren region, travelled through some of the wildest parts of the island of Celebes, and explored New Guinea and the Moluccas.
He returned to Radda with some rare zoological and botanical specimens.

  Today the Fattoria Vignavecchia is a flourishing agricultural estate consisting of 19 hectares of vineyard, a recently restored winery, underground aging cellars and a tasting room, which welcomes visitors and offers the direct sale of the estate's products.

The Vignavecchia estate covers an area of 42 hectares, 19 of which are cultivated with vineyards and 3 olive groves.
It is located in a splendid panoramic position at a height of 500 m. above sea level, with south and south-west exposure.
The remainder of the estate is covered in woods of forest trees and copses, which are typical of the Tuscan countryside.

Most of the vineyards, which are grouped around the farmhouse, are entered in the DOCG register for the production of Chianti Classico (14 hectares), and only 5 hectares are devoted to the production of IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) wines.

  Recently, part of these vineyards has been uprooted and replanted in a modern layout with selected clones of Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

   This process of renewal continues to be of particular importance in order to ensure that the vineyards are able to fully express their potential.

The year 1996 was decisive for Fattoria Vignavecchia: The winery bottling and packaging activities were moved from the historical underground cellars in the old town center to a former farmhouse, which was enlarged and renovated and which is situated amid the estate's vineyards.

   For the moment however, the wine still continues to be aged in barriques in the old village center, due to the excellent underground location.
  In fact, the optimal temperature and humidity found here provide the best conditions for aging the more prestigious wines in 225 liter oak barriques.

The Amorphophallus Titanum, a member of the Aroid Family, was discovered on the island of Sumatra in 1878 by the botanist Prof. Odoardo Beccari, who described it as the biggest flower in the world. It can reach a height of 2.25 m. and has a maximum circumference of 3.76 m.