The ancestral estate of the aristocratic Ricasoli family dates from the 11th century and is the oldest winery in Italy. Currently home to the 32nd baron, it opens its formal garden, panoramic terrace and museum to day-trippers, who often adjourn to the on-site osteria for lunch after a guided tour of the castle's small but fascinating museum.
Occupying three rooms in the castle's tower, the museum is dedicated to documenting the life of the extravagantly mustachioed Baron Bettino Ricasoli (1809–80), the second prime minster of the Republic of Italy and a true polymath (scientist, farmer, winemaker, statesman, businessman). A leading figure in the Risorgimento, one of his other great claims to fame is inventing the formula for Chianti Classico that is enshrined in current DOC regulations.
The castello's chapel dates from the early 14th century; below it is a crypt where generations of Ricasolis are interred. The estate produces wine and olive oil, and the huge terrace commands a spectacular view of the vineyards and olive groves. The Classic Tour (€25, two hours, Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10am, plus 3pm March to June) takes in the wine-making facilities and features a tasting, while the Vineyard Tour (€45, two hours, 3.30pm Tuesday and Thursday) sees you exploring the estate's different terroirs and sampling vintages beside the vines.
A bosco Inglese (English garden) surrounds the estate, in it (near the car park) you'll find the estate's Osteria del Castello . Just outside the estate's entrance gates, on the SP484, is a modern cantina where you can taste the Castello di Brolio's well-regarded Chianti Classico.
