Since the 11th century an indissoluble union has united the Mazzei family with Tuscany and wine.
Ser Lapo Mazzei was the author in 1398 of the first document known for the use of the denomination "Chianti" and in 1435, when his granddaughter Madonna Smeralda Mazzei married Piero di Agnolo from Fonterutoli, the estate became a family heritage. Since then, for 24 generations, the Mazzei have been producing wine at the Castello di Fonterutoli which, despite the recent expansions, still remains the beating heart of the company.
Marchesi Mazzei History
The village of Fonterutoli, an ancient Florentine bulwark, a few kilometers from Castellina in Chianti, enjoys an extraordinary view of Siena, so close as to be able to distinguish the Torre del Mangia and the silhouette of the Duomo.
The centuries-old belonging to the Marquises Mazzei has preserved the few houses, the church of San Miniato and the villa, which was built at the end of the 1500s in place of the fortified castle, almost unchanged. Here time has stopped, retaining the charm of the Middle Ages.
The secular knowledge, by the Mazzei family, of the terroir of Castello di Fonterutoli has allowed us to make the most of this poor and rocky terrain. The result are wines that make their stylistic signature their diversity and complexity.
The company covers a total area of 650 hectares, of which "only" 117 of specialized vineyards divided into five areas located between 220 and 550 meters above sea level, in turn divided into 120 individual parcels. All in perfect harmony with other more marginal crops and with the woods, an ideal environment for different types of game that populate it in its natural state.
The excellence of the wines of Castello di Fonterutoli is renowned worldwide and represents one of the reference points of the whole Chianti Classico.
In Fonterutoli the Chianti Classico DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the Castello di Fonterutoli is also produced,
At 15 meters deep, in the large barrel room where more than 3000 oak barrels dwell, the temperature and the right degree of humidification are guaranteed by five layers of water that flow naturally along the walls of the exposed rock.
The Fonterutoli winery is open to all and can be visited all year round, even during the harvest.
Few places know how to strike the imagination as the evocative scenarios of Chianti Classico and Fonterutoli is one of these.
A holiday in a small village full of charm and out of time can offer a different experience, where emotions breathe the sense of history and continuity. All around the charm of a village unchanged from the Middle Ages, whose historic houses house 15 rooms with a warm personality, inspired by the colors of Chianti. The ancient terracotta floors, the exposed beams, the ancient furniture of the Marquises Mazzei, the views of the Tuscan countryside: the stay at B&B Castello di Fonterutoli is a timeless stay. On request or in the case of large groups, whole apartments can be booked with exclusive use of the kitchen.