Villa Vignamaggio, surrounded by an elegant Italian garden in a stunningly beautiful corner of the Chianti countryside, offers an authentic testimony of countrylife during the Renaissance period. The main part of the villa dates back to the 14th century. The Gherardi family who bought the villa from the Gherardini at the end of the 16th century, were responsible for its present appearance. Mona Lisa, the daughter of Anton Maria Gherardini, was born at Vignamaggio in 1479. The Gherardini were a noble family in Tuscany, probably of etruscan or roman origin. In Florence they lived in their tower in Via Lambertesca and they belonged to the Guelph's party. As supporters they participated in the battle of Montaperti against the city of Siena in 1260 where the Florentines were defeated. After having been exiled the Guelphs did not return to Florence until1267 where the party became divided into the Black and the White Guelphs. The Gherardini joined ranks with the White Guelphs and distanced themselves from the city where the Blacks were in power. They began to construct their castle at Montagliari on a hill dominating the Greve river valley. From this position the Gherardini often robbed the merchants on their way to Florence, which in 1302 finally decided to put an end to these episodes and besieged the castle. After a long hard battle the two sides came to an agreement: the lives of the people would be saved but the castle had to be destroyed. This is what happened and as a result the Gherardini moved to the other side of the valley at Vignamaggio: The property was then sold to Bernardo di Bartolomeo de' Gherardi in 1421, whose family, in following steps, enriched the building and transformed it to its present aspect.  Vignamaggio reached the height of its splendour towards the middle of the 17th century and belonged to the Gherardi until 1886. After belonging in succession to the Uguccioni and to the Alamanni families, the estate was bought in 1925 by Contessa Elena Samminiatelli, whose family restored the Italian gardens and the villa.Since 1988 the new owners have undertaken an extensive renovation of the buildings, the gardens, the vineyards and the wine cellars, which has further improved the already high quality of the farm's products. 
 

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