The origins of Vicchiomaggio Castle, initially called Vicchio dei Longobardi, date back to around 1400, as recorded on some ancient parchments still preserved today. We are on top of a hill that dominates the entire Greve Valley, about 18 kilometres from Florence. In its long and glorious history, many personalities have stayed at Castello Vicchiomaggio, including Leonardo da Vinci, who painted his most famous masterpiece, the Mona Lisa. Today John and Paola Matta are the owners of the castle. The estate covers about 140 hectares, of which 34 are planted with vines, 10 with olive trees, and the rest is parkland. Sangiovese is the estate's most representative grape variety, a fundamental grape for the production of Chianti Classico. With it, however, at Castello Vicchiomaggio there are also other international grape varieties, such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. These varieties, in particular, are used for the production of IGT red wines. A Mediterranean climate and typical soil rich in clay and large stones, the so-called Galestro, are the basic elements of the Castello's terroir.