The family behind Villa Le Corti, the Corsini family, have an extraordinary history, with winemaking roots dating back to the 14th century, making it one of the oldest estates in Tuscany. The current custodian of the Corsini legacy, Duccio Corsini, is the 32nd generation. Having taken over the estate in 1992, one of his early achievements was the introduction of isolated indigenous yeasts in the winemaking process, allowing the wines to express the character of the estate and its terroir. Over the years, every activity—from farming to vinification and ageing—has been firmly oriented towards preserving the integrity of the fruit.
Villa Le Corti lies in the northernmost section of the village of San Casciano, a ten‑minute drive south of Florence. The estate covers more than 600 acres, including 121 acres of Sangiovese dedicated to Chianti Classico and IGT Principe Corsini. Here, both climate and soil differ from those further south and play a distinctive role. Temperatures are generally milder around this commune, meaning Duccio often harvests slightly earlier than producers in the other eight communes. The soils, richer in river stones and sand, yield lighter wines with greater elegance and finesse, rather than the fuller‑bodied styles typical of the more southerly areas.
The Chianti Classico is generous and open, with vibrant, almost crunchy red‑berry fruit. “Don Tommaso” (named after Duccio’s grandfather) is the Gran Selezione Chianti Classico, made from a selection of the finest Sangiovese grapes from the estate’s vineyards. More muscular in style, it blends Sangiovese with around 15% Merlot and spends fifteen months in tonneaux. It ages gracefully yet remains approachable in its youth, combining depth and complexity with accessibility. In contrast, Cortevecchia, the Chianti Classico Riserva, is produced from the oldest Sangiovese vines on the estate and ages for 24 months in a mix of large and small French oak casks. From time to time, the estate releases older library wines that clearly demonstrate the remarkable ageing potential of local Sangiovese.