I have been on many winery tours, but my visit to Brolio Castle and Barone Ricasoli Winery is one of the best I have ever had. At Barone Ricasoli you can taste wine, tour the castle museum and gardens, and eat at a good Osteria. The formula for Chianti Classico wine was invented here, so Barone Ricasoli is a great place to start your Chianti winery tour.
Barone Ricasoli Winery and Wine Tasting
The Barone Ricasoli winery is the oldest winery in Italy and is believed to be the second oldest in the world. In 1872, Baron Bettino Ricasoli, known as the “Iron Baron,” wrote the formula for Chianti Classico wine that he developed after more than 30 years of research. Chianti Classico wine is made primarily from Sangiovese grapes with the addition of other grapes.
Today Barone Ricasoli Castello di Brolio is the largest winery in the Chianti Classico area with 240 acres of vineyards and state-of-the-art modern winemaking facilities. It produces three million bottles of wine a year and its wines are exported all over the world. In addition to various Chianti Classico wines, the winery produces a very good white wine, a Rose ‘dessert wine, Vin Santo, grappa and olive oil.
Wine tasting is offered in the welcome center of the wine shop in front of a large parking lot. Currently, the tasting room is open every day of the week from April to October (except some holidays), no reservation is necessary and visitors can taste three wines for five euros (refunded if you buy a bottle of wine) . Winery visits are available by reservation.
Brolio Castle Museum and Gardens
Brolio Castle, which has belonged to the Ricasoli family since the 11th century, is still used as a private residence, but some of the 140 rooms of the castle may be open to the public in the future. Many historical items from the castle are on display in the small museum housed in a castle tower. Guides lead visitors through the four museum rooms, recounting interesting information about the castle and family history, the ‘Iron Baron’ and the winery. You don’t need to book a tour in advance, they are given every half hour, usually in English.
Tickets currently cost eight euros for the museum visit and the garden visit.
The highlight of the museum is an exhibition of weapons from the 14th and 18th centuries, a room with 19th century scientific instruments and the research of the ‘Iron Baron’, and a room with furniture made exclusively for the King of Italy when he visited in 1863.
The beautiful castle gardens can be visited without a guide. The current cost is five euros or eight euros for the combined museum and garden ticket. The chapel next to the castle and the English woods leading up to the castle, with plants from around the world, can be visited free of charge. Be sure to walk around the castle to see the fantastic views of vineyards, forests, and the valley below.
Information on visits to wineries and castles
Tasting room and wine shop hours : Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. During winter hours it may be longer short.
Castle museum hours : from April to October, from 10:30 to 12:30 and from 2:30 to 5:30, from Tuesday to Sunday.
Castle Garden Hours : April to October, 10 am to 7 pm
Osteria del Castello : Open from March to October for lunch and dinner, closed on Thursdays. Read review
Winery and Castle Location : Madonna a Brolio, 5 kilometers from Gaiole in Chianti. About 25 kilometers from Siena or 75 kilometers from Florence. See our Map of Chianti.
Take a look at the Visit Barone Ricasoli website.
