The Alessi Family

A tradition that has been established for over 50 years and that comes from the heart , in the heart of Chianti, straight to your home.

Where It All Began

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CENNATOIO IS BORN

The company was purchased by Alessio Alessi, Leandro’s father, but right from the start, Gabriella and Leandro fell in love with the place and began to follow its development, step by step.

CHIANTI CLASSICO CENNATOIO

The following year, in 1971, the first vintage of Chianti Classico Cennatoio was produced

PARTRIDGE EYE

We began producing “Occhio di Pernice,” a red vinsanto aged in caratello barrels—a wine we were the first to rediscover and which would be granted DOC status about 20 years later.

DISTRIBUTION

The commercial company (SRL) is being established and will begin distributing Cennatoio wines.

OWNERSHIP AND RENOVATION

The company became the property of Gabriella and Leandro Alessi. In the years that followed, a restructuring of the business was undertaken, affecting both the agricultural and winemaking operations.

THE ETRUSCAN AND FLORENTINE RED

The Etrusco and Rosso Fiorentino—the first Super Tuscans—are born. White grapes are no longer used in the blend for Chianti Classico.

biological aeration tank

They decide to go organic, but without joining any organization that certifies it

MAMMOLO

Mammolo is born.

ARCIBALDO

Arcibaldo is born.

THE DREAM OF THE GRAPE

The latest challenge, “Il Sogno dell’Uva,” is here.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC

We decided to get certified as organic producers, and in 2012, we officially became organic.

LAUCHUM

LAUCHUM was founded in collaboration with Maison de Negoce de Vins (a French wine merchant) and French winemakers.

Il Cennatoio is a family-run farm founded in 1970 thanks to the dedication of Leandro and Gabriella Alessi. Today, their son Emiliano also helps run the business, continuing the family tradition with passion and dedication.
For over fifty years, Il Cennatoio has maintained a deep connection with the Chianti region, cultivating the land that sustains it with respect and love.

Il Cennatoio overlooks one of the most authentic and picturesque views of Chianti: hills dotted with vineyards and olive groves, medieval churches, castles, and oak forests.

As Cavalcanti wrote, the place has remained "a sight to behold" over time, preserving its natural charm intact.

The estate lies at an elevation of 600–620 meters above sea level, on the border between the provinces of Florence and Siena, with an ideal south/southeast exposure. This privileged location contributes to the unique quality of our wines.

The name “Cennatoio” derives from the word“cenno,”referring to its proximity to the Stinche Alte, an ancient outpost and prison of the Republic of Florence under the Medici.
Legend has it that “signals” were sent from the courtyard of the residence to the Medici soldiers, hence the name that the company proudly bears today

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Who is
Emiliano Alessio?

passion and ongoing research

Milk and Wine

Everything has unfolded and continues to unfold against the backdrop of Chianti’s natural colors—from the dark green of the cypress trees to the lush, gentle vineyards, all the way to the red of the sunsets, which Homer “would call the color of wine.”

I had my first grape harvest in my mom’s belly in the fall of 1971.

Bread, Wine, and Sugar

The first steps on the gravelly sandstone of the vineyards, and so on as time went by, with the chirping of crickets in the summer heat, followed by the succession of grape harvests and the resulting delay in the start of classes, with the gentle blessing of the Barnabite fathers in exchange for Vinsanto for Holy Mass.

Good Wine and Good Food

The journeys I’ve taken thanks to wine have led me to discover unique destinations and places, enriching my cultural and personal horizons—which were already well-established thanks to the passion my parents instilled in me.
I’ve met people who have guided and shaped me, becoming unique and indispensable mentors to me—Franco, Sandra, Gianfranco, and Alessandro—who, through glass after glass, food pairings, and anecdotes, helped me solidify my resolve to become a selector of the very best—a bringer of happiness to those who have the joy of appreciating everything around them—and perhaps, with the ambition of reaching out to those who have not yet had the good fortune to pause and reflect on our “Memory of Tradition.”

From the vineyards to the bottles

The heart of our production beats in the cellars, where winemaking expertise meets the most modern winemaking techniques.
Under the expert guidance of winemakers Dr. Luciano Bandini and Philipe Nunes, and with the collaboration of our trusted cellar master Ildegarda Agnelli, Cennatoio wine takes shape and ages in stainless steel tanks, French barriques, and tonneaux, striking a perfect balance between innovation and respect for tradition.

Our winemaking method is rooted in the historic winemaking tradition of Chianti, but it has evolved over time to produce wines that elegantly and with structure convey the authentic identity of this region.

Try the wines from Cennatoio

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