Castello della Paneretta

The history of the Paneretta Castle, which stands in the Chianti Classico area, on the hills overlooking the Val d'Elsa, has a very ancient history: we date back to around 1500. Its wine production is also attested by documents starting from 1596. The Strozzi family retained the property until 1984, the year in which the Albisetti family took over. Today, with its 309 hectares (most of which are forest), Paneretta is one of the largest agricultural companies in the Chianti area. It produces 120,000 bottles of Chianti Classico and IGT annually from 22 hectares of vineyards. Due to a precise company choice, the vines used are exclusively Sangiovese and Canaiolo nero, the result of selections within the company that have been handed down for generations, aimed at determining the best production areas of the estate and, above all, the best vines (and relative clones) capable of producing the best wine. The real added value of this company are the vineyards: these are medium-high density vineyards, which survived the "restructuring" of the vineyards in Tuscany which took place in the sixties and seventies, where quantity was favored over quality; quality viticulture involves a reduced production of bunches per single plant, but of high quality. Therefore the ampelographic heritage existing in the company is linked to the selection of decades and decades of experiments and therefore fully represents the characteristics of this territory. In short, when everyone starts using international vines (cabernet, merlot, syrah, etc.), Paneretta chooses the path of native vines (Sangiovese and Canaiolo). These choices have been progressively understood by the market, especially overseas and Anglo-Saxon, and recognition has also arrived: the Riserva Torre a Destra, 100% Sangiovese, becomes an award-winning wine (Gold Medal in the Tuscan Red Trophy, International Wine Challenge London, of 2006). A winning choice, increasingly appreciated.