Magnolia Via Francois

The wines were good, though this place cost a little more than the other vineyards we visited. We hadn’t booked a tasting, but they let us drop in for a quick one. The kids loved watching the peacocks, and we all had a great time here.

The apartment was a lovely base for exploring the region, and we really enjoyed the property tour and wine tasting. The location of the castle is great, too. Winter was a problem, though: the nights were very cold, and the heating couldn’t warm the apartment properly. We told the hotel, but they didn’t offer a fix.

The castle, its grounds, and the winery made for a great tour, with beautiful views across the valley. We tasted three reds: Chianti Classico Riserva 2020, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione “La Corte” 2020, and Cignale 2019 (Colli della Toscana Centrale). The Riserva felt elegant and well balanced, “La Corte” had smooth tannins, good structure, and a long finish, while Cignale was powerful and layered with dark fruit and spice. A memorable mix of history, scenery, and wine. I’d recommend it to anyone visiting Chianti.

The grounds are magical, and the peacocks are beautiful. We emailed first to check they were open, then found the tasting room, where a woman served us. There were different tasting levels, and we chose the one with everything. After three wines she disappeared for lunch, as we later learned, without telling us or handing us over to anyone. We waited a long time. The man who stepped in was a bit reserved at first, but warmed up, and we enjoyed the rest of the tasting. They were nice enough, not rude, but it didn’t feel like they really cared that we’d come to visit. We learned very little, and my husband had to read the booklet to find out more about the wines. The place could be incredible. We’ve had much more engaging visits at other wineries.