Luiano

The historic estate

Wine has been produced at Luiano for several centuries. The estate occupies a hill in Chianti Classico, and the original agricultural buildings include the Ancient Villa of Luiano and cellars constructed within the villa’s 14th-century foundations. The old stone-walled underground rooms remain the setting for maturation.

Alberto and the fermentation cellar

In the late 1950s, the family’s grandfather Alberto built the traditional concrete tanks that still form the core of the fermentation cellar. Together, these vessels provide approximately 2,000 hL of capacity. They were subsequently equipped with refrigeration, adapting the historic cellar to temperature-controlled production while retaining the original concrete vessels.

2002 and a new vineyard project

In 2002 the family established a single-vineyard project combining Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Colorino Toscano. The three varieties were vinified together and matured for 24 months in French oak barriques, creating Lui di Luiano and adding a Toscana IGT expression to the estate’s Chianti Classico production.

The contemporary family winery

Alessandro carries forward the family’s wine-growing and winemaking tradition, while Felicia leads Luiano’s hospitality and entertainment identity. Their complementary roles underpin the concept of an open, family-run winery in which production, tastings, events and accommodation remain part of the same working estate.

The winery now produces all three principal Chianti Classico categories—Annata, Riserva and Gran Selezione—alongside a single-vineyard cru, a 100% Sangiovese selection, Toscana IGT wines and small experimental releases.

A seven-year amphora project

In November 2025 Luiano presented Lapilli, the culmination of seven years of work. The project began with a selected Pianacci vineyard and developed an artisanal process based on hand selection at full ripeness, manual destemming, whole-berry fermentation in a large Tuscan terracotta amphora, six months of contact with the skins and a further 12 months in bottle. Production was limited to 1,000 individually numbered and signed bottles, each carrying a different phrase selected by the producer.

Luiano follows principles of responsible farming directed toward the long-term well-being of the vines, the health of the land and the quality and enjoyment of the fruit. All vines are trained to spurred cordon. Work throughout the vine’s annual cycle is intended to reconcile balanced yields with plant health and full, even grape ripeness.

The estate divides its 20 ha of vines among three hillside sectors rather than treating the property as a uniform block. Yield expectations are adjusted to the character of each sector: the Greve River Side generally supports medium-to-high yields, its small Galestro portion yields less, the Lake Side is naturally very low-yielding, and Pianacci is associated with balanced yields.

For the small Pianacci amphora project unveiled in 2025, each bunch was selected manually at peak maturity. This was a project-specific practice rather than a declared protocol for the entire crop.

Production is housed in the estate’s original agricultural buildings and the old basement of the Ancient Villa of Luiano. The historic fermentation cellar contains approximately 2,000 hL of capacity in traditional concrete tanks built by Grandfather Alberto in the late 1950s. These vessels have since been fitted with refrigeration to meet modern temperature-control requirements.

Maturation takes place below the main building in old, stone-walled cellars constructed within the villa’s 14th-century foundations. Several kinds of wooden vessels are used, with the choice adapted to the requirements of each vintage. Final storage, bottling and bottle maturation take place in dedicated climate-controlled rooms.

The cellar also undertakes small experimental work. For the 2025 Lapilli release, selected Sangiovese bunches from Pianacci were manually destemmed; whole berries fermented in a large Tuscan terracotta amphora, followed by six months on the skins and 12 months of bottle maturation. This protocol belongs to that limited project rather than the estate’s entire production.