Our "Commodoties"

Wine tasting and guided visits

Situated in the wonderful and unique hills of Chianti, "Il Palagio" is one of the Tuscany's most famous XIVth century castles. The winery has 55 hectars of olive plantations and 25 hectars of vineyards are placed surrond the estate.

The ancient village, which gives its name to the castle, lodge and farm of il Palagio, has produced wine and oil of the finest quality for the past 300 years.

The winery is highly interested in the growing phenomenon of enological tourism, for this reason some rooms in the farm have been restructured to organise wine and oil tastings there.

We can accommodate up to 200 people, but we can receive also privates and small party.

Our company guarantee always exclusivity, so there will be just your group and no other when you will come here.

Guided visits can be in English, German, French and... Italian, of course!

If you book in advance, it is also possible to have interpreters for Spanish, Dutch, Russian, Chinese and Japanese language.

Below you can find the description of the private tour in our estate.

If you don't need a private tour but just a tasting, you can come here every day in our wine shop from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to taste free our wines. It is not necessary to book.

If you don't need a private tour but you like a tour with a tasting, you can come here every monday or tuesday at 14,45.

The cost is 13 € and it is included guided tour + wine tasting with 4 wines, salami, pecorino cheese with our red pepper mostarda, bruschette, salami and biscuits. Booking is required almost 24 hours before.

What are the wines you can taste ?

Our winery produces:

- Chianti Classico & Chianti Classico Riserva

- Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Sangiovese vinified in white

- 4 Red Supertuscan wines

- Rosè and Rosso igt

- Dessert Wines

- Brut Champenois

- Grappa & Acquavite

- Balsamic Vinegar 15 years old

- Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The Castle

The main part of Il Palagio is the majestic, hamlet courtyard, considered the most suggestive of the Chianti area. The different architectural styles make this an unique courtyard which will make all special occasions memorable.

Coat of arms of every previous owner surround the walls bring alive the history of the castle. Also the family of Amerigo Vespucci, the navigator who gave his name to America was owner of the castle.

The courtyard is very well suited for concerts, middle age banquets, weddings and business events.

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The gothic church is the real treasure of the castle, with frescoes on every wall. The chapel is open for visitors during the tour. In front of the cypress driveway is another family chapel in the Romanesque style built with alberese stones.

Wine Class & Blind tasting

Tasting courses can be organized in different languages up to 25 people.

The courses last about two hours.

The first part is a theoretical one and the customer can choose the argument.

For example, the tasting could be about six different wines, made from six different grapes or about six different products obtained from the same kind of grape coming from different areas....

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Olive Oil Class

The olive oil tasting could be about different kinds of oil;

common olive oils, virgin olive oils, extra virgin olive oils coming from non-European countries to compare with quality extra virgin olive oils, made with methods meant to maintain all the good properties the olives naturally have.

After a tasting like this you will be able to recognise real quality extra virgin oils.

It is possible to made to visit also the millstone placed 3 km from the castle.

The Garden

Thanks to the Grand Duke "Habsburg-Lothringen" the gardens were built at Il Palagio. They are still visited and admired today.

The impressive cedar of Lebanon which emerges at the main entrance to the castle, was planted nearly 200 years ago by a Napoleonic official during the French occupation in the late XVIIIth century.

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The Cellars

The wine cellars are located under the castle. Originally part of the cellar was a medieval dungeon.

Today "prisoners" are oak barrels and barriques and still tuns used to age our wines.

Tour guides will be happy to give you informations about our wines and oils.

Another cellar you can visit is the olive oil cellar, called "orciaia". In this room we keep in terracotta jars our "green gold" which has received several awards all over the world.

You may request to tour the vineyards and olive groves to see the work involved in planting, growing and harvesting and talk with our wine and olive masters.

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The tasting

After the guided visit there is the wine tasting.

Our staff will give you some brochures with technical information about our products.

3 or 4 wines (can be also more!) will be served at the tables with some snacks like pecorino cheese made by Busti, salami and ham ade by Falorni, bruschetta with our extra virgin olive oil, bread with some typical sauces, mostards

In the end, Vinsanto, the typical dessert wine of the area, and cantuccini, the biscuits with almonds, can be served.

On request we can also organise afternoon snacks, light lunch or rustic dinners.

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Wine tasting for big party

wine tasting for small groups and private

Dinner and lunch in the winery

Castello Il Palagio - Via Campoli 100 / 140 - 50024 Mercatale Val di Pesa - Florence - Chianti - Tuscany