Fattoria Valtellina By Boutique

A Restored Family Home in Chianti Wine Country

A generational wine-country getaway in the green hills of Tuscany’s Chianti region, this architecturally restored, four-bedroom stone retreat tops a hillside, with views of the vineyards, olive groves and oak forests from its elegantly appointed rooms and classic Italian terraces.

Each of the home’s four bedrooms comes with an en-suite bathroom with a shower, one also offering a clawfoot bathtub with views of the Tuscan landscape. Three of the bedrooms are set with double beds, the fourth with a pair of convertible twins.

Stone floors, generous hearths, exposed timbers, arched entries and refined furnishings such as four-poster beds and elegant draperies give the home a sophisticatedly urban, noble atmosphere, while vast views remind that this is a destination for leisurely country living. The villa is managed by a local staff on call six days a week, providing daily housekeeping, grocery shopping and other services by reservation.

Outdoor living comes easily on the home’s upper and lower terraces, beside its pool and pergola, and at its shaded and open-air dining areas, as all spaces offer vast views of the lush countryside striped by vineyards.

Layout

Ground floor: Living area, sitting room, dining room/kitchen, utility room, half bathroom

First floor: Three double bedrooms with en-suite baths

Ground floor annex: Bedroom with two twins, convertible to a double by request, bathroom

Outdoors: 12m x 6m pool, flagstone garden pathways, terraces

Additional features

Sustainability is a focus, with eco-friendly cleaning products and an electric car charging station. The property is staffed, and activities, excursions, private chef services, etc. can be arranged in advance at an extra cost.

Please note that a tourist tax of 1.5 euros per person, per night will be collected for the first seven nights.

Around

In the heart of Chianti wine country, in an area Forbes characterized as among Europe’s "Most Idyllic," the country retreat offers views of the Chianti hills and Lecchi and Gaiole countryside. Both Radda and Siena are easy drives from the house, with Florence is about 90 kilometers away.

The nearby town of Gaiole in Chianti is one of the Chianti Classico wine country’s three major towns, home to the largest winery of the region, Brolio Castle. Credited with creating the Chianti wine “formula” in 1872, the winery is open to visits, along with many other historic cellars and tasting rooms also featuring Chianti Classico bottles made from the local San Giovesse grapes. Gaiole is a market town, ringed by castles, fortified abbeys and countryside panoramas, with the Castello di Brolio owned by the noted vintners, the Ricasoli family, since the 12th century.

The town is set along one of Italy’s favorite bike routes and hosts the annual Eroica bike race, held on the strada bianchi, or gravel roads, a race ridden on vintage bikes by cyclists wearing vintage gear. Walkers/hikers can walk sections of these gravel roads into the countryside as well, passing local vineyards and olive groves. Those seeking local shopping adventures should head into the locally celebrated ceramic shops and studios, found both in town and in nearby Rampini.

Neighboring Radda is another Chianti Classico league town (the third being Castellina). Known for its ancient architecture, the medieval village and castle at its heart were established as the wine region’s headquarters in the mid 1200s. Repeatedly threatened by warring factions, the town boasts castles and fortifications today that have now become storied villas and wine residences. Thick stone walls enclose scenic squares, flowering courtyard gardens and pretty viewpoints along cobbled streets cut through with a handful of photogenic tunnels where small restaurants and cafes fill the arching alcoves.

Location

Rietine, Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy. Nearest airport: Florence (1 hour 15 minutes)

Best time to visit

April to October