Castello Vicchiomaggio
The Vicchiomaggio castle can be traced back to the 5th Century. It occupies a strategic position on a hill dominating the Greve valley, and in the middle ages was the first line of defence for Florence during its feuds with Siena.
In medieval documents dated 857, there's a reference to "Castello Vico de Lambardi". The master of the castle was named Littifredo, after whom John Matta names his house wine.
During the Renaissance great importance was placed on the month of May, and around 1450 the name was changed to Castello Vicchiomaggio - "Castle of the May village". Reference to it was found in the archives of Leonardo da Vinci, who stayed there during his time in Tuscany.
When the Matta family took over the estate in 1964, it was in poor condition, having suffered from neglect during the second world war. They began a long program of renovation and replanting, determined to restore its reputation to its 17th Century past, when its wines were praised in the book "Bacchus in Tuscany", by the great Italian academic Francesco Redi.
A second replanting programme began in 1999, and is scheduled to take 15 years to complete. Most of the vineyards on the estate now adopt high density techniques which reduce yield, but ensure consistent high quality.
