Badia di Passignano - abbey and Antinori wine estate by private tour
Just north of San Donato is Badia a Passignano, a moody hamlet centred on a Benedictine monastery. Known as the Badia di Passignano, it was founded by the Vallambrosan order in 1049 but is now equally famous for being a wine estate owned by the Antinori wine barons. If you’d like to indulge in a leisurely wine tasting, abbey tour and dinner, consider leaving the driving to Daniele Mogni at Chianti Taxi. A customised route can be created for you, taking in several other lesser-known estates. Make a full day of it by tailoring the day to your tastes, with a visit to a Pecorino farm, olive oil mill or hand-painted ceramics workshops. Leave the logistics to a true Chianti local.
Badia di Passignano can, of course, be reached under your own steam. All around are vineyards belonging to the Antinori Chianti estates. This particular Antinori wine estate is given over to vineyards of Sangiovese grapes and olive groves. This Florentine-based wine dynasty have been peddling the `nectar of the gods’ in Tuscany since 1385. Before succumbing to the wine option, spend a bit of time in the fortified abbey where the great Galileo Galilei taught in the 16th century. Pre-book a guided tour with one of the handful of remaining Vallambrosan monks to admire a refectory decorated with a magnificently restored Last Supper by Domenico Ghirlandaio.
If more earthly concerns are on your mind, then the abbey can also sustain you. The Antinori’s Michelin-starred restaurant occupies part of the vaulted abbey, with the so-called `historical cellars’ located immediately below the abbey. At the estate you can sample Antinori signature wines, whether Chianti Classico wines or Super Tuscans. Famous names are Tignanello, Guado al Tasso, and Solaia, as well as Chianti Classico Riserva Badia a Passignano. Book an Antinori wine-tasting and cellar tour, possibly even an oil-tasting, followed by lunch or dinner in their onsite fine-dining restaurant. L’Osteria di Passignano or their far simpler Trattoria della Fonte in a farmhouse nearby. Instead, L’Antica Scuderia is the best dining option for families or anyone fancying a pizza.
Chianti Taxi. T: (+39) 389 8160050 & http://www.chiantitaxi.com
This reliable Panzano-based transport service offers day-long private tours around the Chianti.
Badia di Passignano (Passignano Abbey): T: 055 8072341 (English); 055 8071171 (Italian)
Antinori Passignano estate: T: 055 8071278 & http://www.osteriadipassignano.com & http://www.antinori.it
Badia di Passignano, Localita Badia a Passignano, 50028 Tavernelle Val di Pesa
