BROLIO CASTLE - CHIANTI AREA
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The Castle of Brolio is situated in the center of the area of Chianti that belongs to the province of Siena, between the towns of Gaiole and Castelnuovo Berardenga. The name, which derives from the Longobard term "brolo", referred to an orchard or any similar kind of enclosed garden space. Owned by the Ricasoli family, it served as a Guelph outpost against Siena and as a result came under frequent, destructive attack. The castle of Brolio has a Longobard origin, although today of the ancient original small fortress remains only the location.
Its role in the history began to be remarkable at the beginning of the XII century, when the powerful feudal family of the Ricasoli from Cacchiano took office it. Still today the castle belongs to their descendants. Its position was always strategical for the control of this area of Chianti, edge of the Florentine influence at the borders with the Sienese territory. For this reason, since the XIII up to the mid XVI century, the castle was often interested in frontier wars. We are in fact in the heart of the Florentine territory of the "Chianti League" - formed by the "Terzieri" (terzieris) of Radda, Castellina and Gaiole - rich of feudal presence and strongly contended between the two big cities of Florence and Siena. All the castles of the zone, either Florentine that Sienese, were aside always strengthened, so much that two real contrasting defensive lines were created. The castle was always in the lands of Florence, to the exception of a temporary Sienese occupation after the second Aragonese invasion of the Chianti in 1472. Consequently at this event, from 1484 when the castle returned Florentine, began a great work of restructuring and expansion of the fortification to adeguate the walls at the new fire weapons, so we can consider Brolio one of the first "Italian bastioned fortress". Its ramparts, in stone and still today in perfect state, have an irregular pentagonal plan with a primitive structure if compared with the development that this new form of fortification had in the following years. It is not certain, but it seems that the architect responsible of the works was Giuliano da Sangallo, sharpening his fortificatory art at the service of the Medici. After the conquest of Siena the Ricasoli family converted it into an elegant noble residence. In 1835 baron Bettino Ricasoli commissioned architect Marchetti to redesign the castle in the style of the "Gothic Revival", the romantic movement that had arrived in Italy from Britain. The complex was thus transformed from an ancient fortress into an English-style manor house: the main building material used was brick, then Tudor-style windows and crenellated turrets were added, creating an overall effect quite unlike that of the local architecture.
All that is left of the original castle is the base of the keep, which dates back to the early years of the millenium, whereas the well-preserved walls are typical of Renaissance architecture. The various periods are easily recognisable by the distinct building materials used: serena stone and brick. The garden, like the architecture of Brolio Castle itself, divides into two distinct periods: the XVI-century Italian-style garden, with box edges and pathways, and the XIX-century romantic park, laid out by botanist Simone Ricasoli. Ricasoli also planted various imported trees in the grounds of the castle, including a number of fir trees. The castle rises at the center of boundless vineyards, from which since 1141 the Ricasoli distilled their famous wines, place to grow old in the cellars inside the mighty walls of the fortress. Brolio is private property but it is visible with the exception of the baronial building. It is still possible to complete the walk of the ramparts, from which we can have splendid sights on the Chianti region.
The Ricasoli Estate
Situated in proximity of the Brolio Castle there is the Ricasoli Estate with its homonymous cellars where the Chianti Wine is produced. Here, we can taste the very good wines coming from the vineyards of the area. Among the red wine grapes there are the Sangiovese, the Merlot, the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Canaiolo, while among the white wine grapes there are the Chardonnay and the "Malvasia del Chianti". Particular attention is turned also to the study of some wine grapes like the "Canaiolo di Brolio", the Colorino and the "Malvasia Nero".
For other information about the Ricasoli Estate and the wine produced here, visit the web-site www.ricasoli.it.
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