Storia
Before the foundation
The land had remained uncultivated for many years, allowing its soils to recover naturally before the modern farm was established.
1990: establishment of the farm
Peter Rory Dominic de Pentheny O’Kelly acquired the property in 1990 and established La Casa di Bricciano around the principles of organic agriculture, respect for nature and close attention to product quality. Born and raised in Swaziland and descended from an Irish family, Peter moved to the property with his family, managed it personally and served as both viticulturist and winemaker. Giorgio Benvenuti, described as the farm’s Maestro di Vigna, assisted him with viticultural expertise from the early years.
1993–2004: formal registrations
The business was registered with the Siena Chamber of Commerce as an individual enterprise on 9 February 1993, with REA number SI-93930. On 24 November 2003, the Fraud Prevention Inspectorate assigned it code 6442 SI. The Comune di Gaiole in Chianti granted sanitary authorization no. 270/2004 for wine production on 21 January 2004.
2001: first commercial wines
The first wines reached the market in 2001, made from organically cultivated estate grapes. Production was deliberately small and remained based entirely on fruit grown at La Casa di Bricciano.
Until 2005: the original range
Through the 2005 vintage, the range comprised two red wines: Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG and Il Ritrovo IGT, a Merlot–Cabernet Sauvignon blend.
2006: expansion of the range
Two additional wines entered production in 2006: Sangiovese IGT, based on 98% Sangiovese and 2% Ancellotta, and Chianti Classico DOCG, based on 80% Sangiovese with 20% Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
2009: organic certification
The farm entered the organic control system on 13 May 2009. From that year, all its wines and extra-virgin olive oil were certified organic. The original identification code was IT BIO 014 11108, under the supervision of Q Certificazioni S.r.l. A conformity certificate numbered 00493/11108/264/09 is also recorded. The certification formalized an agricultural approach that had been organic in practice from the farm’s foundation.
2010: direct sales
On 4 November 2010, the farm notified the Comune di Gaiole in Chianti of the start of direct food-and-beverage sales, both from movable equipment at Via Ferrucci 6 and from the farm premises at La Casa di Bricciano 43. The latter authorization also covered e-commerce.
2016: succession in vineyard and cellar
Peter remained the recorded viticulturist and winemaker through 2016. From that year, his son Rory Patrick de Pentheny O’Kelly assumed those responsibilities. After Peter’s death, the family continued operating the farm under Rory’s leadership. In June 2016, the organic identification code changed to IT BIO 014 13112.
2018: Sangiovese vinified in white
In 2018, the farm began producing a small quantity of white wine from red Sangiovese grapes. The method revives an old practice associated with Chianti farmers, refined with modern techniques. Rory and Elena married at the estate on 17 June 2018.
Terroir
La Casa di Bricciano lies in the Tuscan hills a few kilometres south of Gaiole in Chianti, between Siena and Florence. The farm is approximately 30 km from Siena and 60 km from Florence.
The vineyards occupy the upper slopes and summit area of a hill at an average altitude of 550 m. The terrain is hilly, and the vines extend across a south-facing slope looking toward Siena. This elevated position also provides separation from treatments that might be applied on neighbouring properties.
The topsoil is shallow and contains a high proportion of shale and coarse skeletal material. Bedrock lies relatively close beneath the surface. The surrounding landscape combines vineyards and olive groves with oak and chestnut forests. Within the 22.5 ha holding, this mixture of cultivated and wooded land creates the immediate environmental setting of the vineyards.
Vinificazione
La Casa di Bricciano was farmed organically in practice from its establishment and entered the certified control system in 2009. Its hilltop position helps protect it from treatments applied by neighbouring farms. Synthetic herbicides, fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides and fungicides are excluded. Disease prevention relies on natural mineral products, specifically sulphur and copper.
Soil management focuses on preserving fertility, controlling erosion and regulating water in the soil. Organic cattle manure supplies fertility, while pruning material is incorporated into the ground. Winter barley is planted between vine rows to absorb excess nitrogen from manure and to moderate soil moisture. Clover is used in rotation for similar purposes, while legumes are sown when the soil requires additional nitrogen.
Cover-crop management changes with the season. In wet years, vegetation is retained in every row until full growth to take up water. In dry years, it is cut earlier and left on the soil surface. Barley and other plants may also be ploughed into the soil as green manure. Different species are rotated annually according to the nutrients required by the soil.
Crop levels are reduced to favour high-quality grapes and optimal ripeness. Grapes receive an initial selection in the vineyard. All work directly involving the vines is carried out manually, including pruning, hoeing, green harvesting, leaf removal and harvest. Roses planted at the heads of rows act as early-warning plants for disease. Bees are regarded as important regulators of the ecosystem and as biological indicators of environmental health.
All wines are produced exclusively from grapes cultivated in La Casa di Bricciano’s own vineyards. Fruit is selected first in the vineyard and again in the cellar before the sgramolatura or destemming stage. The same standard of selection is applied throughout the range.
Archived production records for the 2010 and 2011 red wines document primary fermentation and 14 days of skin maceration in stainless-steel vats. Maturation took place in 225 L French-oak barrels, with the duration varying according to the wine and vintage. The broader cellar practice uses French oak sourced from the Tronçais and Nevers forests.
Maturation is followed by extended refinement in bottle. Heavy, dark, UV-protective glass and high-quality natural corks are used for this stage. Work is described as artisanal throughout the sequence from vineyard and cellar to barrel maturation and bottle refinement.
Organic vinification follows European restrictions on permitted oenological practices and substances. Sulphites are used in limited quantities; for red organic wine, the stated ceiling is 100 mg/L. Peter de Pentheny O’Kelly regarded a controlled use of sulphites as necessary to protect wines intended for prolonged maturation.
Filosofia
Organic agriculture is presented as an expression of respect for the surrounding environment and for the health of people and animals. The approach excludes harmful chemical products and treats the conservation of soil, fertility and ecosystem health as foundations of wine quality.
Its declared quality philosophy begins in the vineyard: maintain the vines carefully, manage the soil according to its needs, restrict fruit production, pursue optimal ripeness and select the grapes rigorously. Production remains intentionally limited so that each stage can receive direct, artisanal attention.
Peter de Pentheny O’Kelly sought wines with a recognizable identity, reasoning that a very small estate could not compete through scale. His position combined low-impact organic agriculture with pragmatic cellar choices rather than alignment with the broader “natural wine” movement. Environmental responsibility and the consumer’s welfare were central, but the final criterion was that the wine should be good and capable of maturing successfully.
The farm also presents organic certification as evidence that disciplined organic cultivation and vinification can produce wines worthy of extended barrel and bottle maturation.