In addition to its excellent wines, Brolio has also, for many years, set a very high bar in its enhancement of the area for tourism that is as attractive as it is sustainable, and which aims to instill in visitors admiration and respect for the beauty of these places and their history. This care for its heritage has also always been recognized by TripAdvisor, the world’s best-known platform of reviews and recommendations for travel, restaurants and attractions, through which travelers can share experiences and ratings to help other tourists plan their activities. Every year, Castello di Brolio receives the “Certificate of Excellence” from TripAdvisor, an award for tourist destinations that consistently achieve excellent reviews. But, in 2024, this recognition had particular value because, in early July, the platform decreed that Brolio is part of the narrow elite 10 percent of the world’s best attractions. “I am very proud of the success of our brand of hospitality and, at the same time, am grateful to all those who have contributed to this fine achievement!” said Francesco Ricasoli, “It is an award that celebrates Brolio as a tourist destination and our philosophy of creating an ideal balance between visitors and the environment.”

The approval of the candidacy for the inclusion of the “Landscape of the Villa-Farm System of Chianti Classico” in the UNESCO World Heritage List is also recent. Our 54,000 hectares, divided into seven municipalities between Florence and Siena, are considered to be an excellent example of how the interaction between man and nature shaped and improved the agricultural and social environment between the 16th and 19th centuries. This is an important first step toward the prestigious recognition that comes in the very year of the Consortium’s Centennial and underscores the importance of preserving the great cultural wealth of our region, something which has always been a priority at Brolio.

“Here,” says Francesco Ricasoli again, “the preservation of the land is a priority commitment, etched in the DNA of the family as well as of all the people who live and work with us. It includes many small daily gestures, as well as larger projects, such as the workmanlike restoration of the property’s historic farm buildings, the maintenance of the white roads or the enhancement of the forest heritage, all ensuring that the beauty and authenticity of our landscape remain intact for future generations. The UNESCO candidacy of our appellation will give an additional boost in this regard, as well as being an important driver for tourism in our area.”

Staying with the Centennial theme, we wish to draw the attention of our summer visitors to Brolio to an additional attraction not to be missed. In addition to the beauty of the nature and the landscape, the story of the history of these places and the Ricasoli family, tastings of the great Ricasoli wines and gourmet breaks at the Agribar and Osteria di Brolio, an extraordinary testimony to the 100th anniversary of the Chianti Classico Consortium is now on view until the end of September. It is an impressive art installation in the shape of a wine bottle. The work of the Roman artist UNO, it stands three meters high and is an eye-catching addition to the vineyard, “La Ripa”, in Madonna a Brolio, right in front of the entrance to the winery, as if to greet visitors as they arrive and depart. The work is entitled “One Hundred and One” and celebrates the century of history of the Consortium with a play of shapes and colors that represents identity, mutability and diversity, intrinsic characteristics of the appellation. A vibrant tribute to the tradition of our wine and its willingness to project itself into the future.

To book your tours to Brolio visit https://visit.ricasoli.com/en/