Péppoli
In 1379, when the Guelphs were defeated by the Ghibellines, the nearby monastery of Badia a Passignano was partially destroyed and later abandoned. Its extensive properties, including Tenuta Pèppoli, were divided among Florentine noble families. The first owners were the Gondi family and then the Cerchi family who built a small elegant chapel dedicated to their ancestor Saint Umiliana in the sixteenth century. The chapel has been recently restored to its original splendor. Marchesi Antinori has owned the Peppoli estate since 1985, the year of their 600th anniversary of the family’s winemaking business. The Vallombrosian monks have cared for the vineyards since the Middle Ages.
The Vineyards
The Pèppoli estate is located 5 kilometers north east of the Tenuta Tignanello estate with a total area of 100 hectares (247 acres) of which 50 hectares (123 acres) are planted with vineyards and is home to Peppoli Chianti Classico DOCG. Despite the vineyards unusual eastern/northeastern exposure, the microclimate is ideal. The small surrounding valley keeps the area warm and protected and its gravelly soils are rich in minerals that give the Sangiovese grape a lively fruity character.
