History
The origins of the Tenute del Granducato, literally translated Holdings of the Grand Duchy, date back to the second half of the 19th century. The period was romantic and the spirit of the age is reflected in the art, poetry, music and literature of the period. Think of the refined dancers and performers in the paintings of Degas and it is easy to imagine a glass of good wine being enjoyed between one dance and another. The duke Carlo Bussola was one of the key-players on this aristocratic scene. Wealthy landowner, he was a sparkling representative of the best Italian traditions. He was a brilliant lawyer in his youth, and in his mature years became the King’s Attorney and the Attorney General of the Court of Cassation. Carlo was respected and admired during his life and commemorated after his death.
In 1903 the new attorney to the king, Eugenio Tofano, remembered him with these words :
« …he was kind judge and a man of high values, immovable in his devotion to the call of justice, immovable in his faith in friendship, that to commemorate him with the most intense memories and to mourn his passing with the deepest regret cannot be sufficient homage to the scale of our loss, but remains the only vent for the sadness that we feel…».
Throughout his life, which he dedicated to the love of his family and his work, Carlo had another more, private passion, born in his family and refined in the salons of high society: the wine. He drank it, appreciated it, observed how to taste and savour it, studied it and came to love and understand it. He planted the family’s first vines and began to produce small quantities of a wine that quickly became immensely highly valued.
The ancient farm
It was only in 1900 that his wine first went on sale. Tuscany became the cradle for this embryonic enterprise and its sweet, green hills the birth place of the fairytale that continues to the present day. The farm is where the poetic and sublime passion of Carlo Bussola was transformed into a true commercial enterprise. However, although originally the wine was sold only locally in the Arezzo area, in time its fame spread to the region’s cities and beyond
The new farm
The labours, studies, passion for knowledge and energy of Carlo Bussola’s love for the wine, have been passed through 150 years of history to his great grandsons, young generation of experts of wine who has inherited the knowledge of five generations of wine producers. Today the Tenute del Granducato farm boasts an important vineyard plantation in Tuscany, and olive groves in southern Italy in Puglia. Qualified personnel and technicians of the sector work every day at the facility to guarantee a healthy and quality product using state-of-the-art materials and technology.
The company mainly produces Tuscan wines such as Chianti docg and Chianti Classico, we also bottle a vast selection of the main Italian references. The Chianti area has the story of Italian wine written in its soil. From the first simple wines drunk from traditional straw wrapped bottles, the area has come to represent the highest standards of good Italian wine, without compromising its roots and character. Tuscany’s great success at wine making is reflected in the number of DOCG and DOC awards that have been bestowed on the region. There are no fewer than 8 DOCG wines and 40 DOC wines in Tuscany. Recently the Sangiovese grape has been combined with other international vine varieties such as cabernet and merlot to create the so called “Super Tuscan” wines. The ruby red colour with all its shades and reflections represents the truly sensual excellence of our wines. Tuscan wine is certainly not only Chianti wine but Brunello di Montalcino, Sassicaia, Rosso di Montepulciano too.
Our Tuscan wines are perfectly matched to the Tuscan culinary tradition which is rich in red meat and sauces, mushrooms, truffles and game (boar and bare), as well as cheeses that are produced and seasoned in the traditional way. Our wine tell a story of love, passion and dedication that lasts for 10 years.
Other products are extra virgin olive oil and pomace oil, both produced in Italy or selected from community oils.
Tenute del Granducato Società Agricola 