Villa Vetrice

Medieval origins

The architectural history of Villa di Vetrice reaches back to the 13th century. A lookout tower dating from that period still rises among the vineyards, olive groves and cypresses, with farmhouses set into the surrounding hills. The villa became the centre of this rural complex.

1716: recognition of Rufina

In 1716, Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III de’ Medici established the boundaries of the Rufina wine-growing area. Those historical limits have remained substantially intact. The estate presents this act as early recognition of the longevity, structure and character associated with wine from Rufina’s hills.

Six generations of the Grati family

The Grati family has cultivated the hills of Villa di Vetrice for six generations. Its work has encompassed both vineyards and olive groves, with wine production framed as a responsibility to preserve the estate’s agricultural traditions while transmitting its products beyond Tuscany.

Late 1960s: preservation through replanting

At the end of the 1960s, Grato Grati replanted the Grati family vineyards. Rather than introducing entirely unrelated plant material, he grafted buds taken from mother vines growing in the estate’s existing vineyard fields onto rootstocks. This traditional propagation method was intended to preserve the local viticultural inheritance.

2002: germplasm research begins

In 2002, the family entered into an agreement with the University of Florence for a project devoted to the recovery, conservation and enhancement of grapevine germplasm in the Chianti Rufina territory. Ampelographer Roberto Bandinelli led the work.

After ten years of research: the Vitiarium

The research extended to more than 30 small farms in the area. Over ten years, the project identified more than 400 individual vines representing approximately 80 varieties. Its first concrete result was the establishment of the Vitiarium, a collection vineyard created to conserve the recovered vines.

The present approach

Successive family members articulate a progression of priorities: Grato and Gianfranco Grati emphasize care for the land as the basis of quality; Cristiana and Gualberto Grati focus on recognizing the value of each terroir and transforming it into an excellent product; Carlotta and Costanza Grati advocate bringing tradition and innovation together so that a wider public can approach and understand wine culture.

Vineyard work is presented as demanding because of the estate’s elevated, hilly terrain and cooler conditions. Manual harvesting is practiced across the principal productions. Picking begins around mid-September and may continue until the middle of October, depending on the grapes and their intended use. Grapes selected for Vin Santo are chosen in the vineyard during a manual mid-September harvest.

The estate uses several traditional training systems: Guyot, spur-pruned cordon and capovolto. Documented yields differ by production, ranging from 20 hl/ha for grapes intended for Vin Santo to 45–56 hl/ha for the principal red-wine plantings.

Preservation of inherited vine material is a defining element of the estate’s viticultural history. In the late 1960s, Grato Grati replanted the family vineyards by grafting buds from mother vines in the estate fields onto rootstocks. The Vitiarium project subsequently expanded this conservation work across Chianti Rufina, assembling recovered vines in a dedicated collection vineyard.

The estate combines traditional practices with temperature-controlled cellar equipment. Red grapes are harvested by hand; selected fruit may be gently pressed before fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks.

Oak barrels and tonneaux are used for maturation. Across the red-wine range, documented oak aging extends from six to 24 months, with subsequent bottle refinement where prescribed. The Riserva program uses both traditional oak barrels and tonneaux.

Vin Santo follows a distinct historical process in the estate’s vinsantaia, a dedicated space beneath the roof. Harvested bunches are hung from beams and left to dry from harvest until December. The resulting wine is then sealed in small barrels known as caratelli for at least ten years. After this extended maturation, the remaining wine is carefully separated from the lees and bottled.

The historic vinsantaia remains part of the working estate and can be visited during guided tours.