Villa rentals Tuscany - Casa Agresto di Castello di Brolio

Mention Castello di Brolio to a Tuscan and their eyes will light up in recognition. Now this famous and venerable estate has been converted into some of the finest villa rentals in Tuscany.

This is a place and a family that have helped build the history of Italy. The Ricasoli family has given their country statesmen on a par with Thomas Jefferson and have been reformers and inventors since the twelfth century. Above all, it was a Ricasoli who first created Chianti as a wine denomination!

Today, at Brolio, history is still being made, as the present heir to the family, Francesco Ricasoli, is running the estate and producing some of the most prestigious wines in Tuscany.

There is a real castle, majestically perched on a hill, built to defend the Florentine Republic from the Ghibelline army of Siena. The castle estate extends over 900 hectares of well-kept vineyards, olive groves and dense oak woods, while enchanting little farmhouses pepper the countryside with the skyline of Siena in the background. This is a landscape reminiscent of the 14th century frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti in the Town Hall of Siena.

Nestling in a fairy-tale setting among the gentle hillsides of the Brolio estate, Casa Agresto (sleeps 12-14) is the prettiest farmhouse of all. The windows face south west over a quintessential Tuscan landscape of vineyards, olive groves and cinnamon-coloured farmhouses. The misty towers of Siena lie on the horizon, all bathed during the long summer evenings in the gauzy apricot glow of a typical Tuscan sunset.

The house, which dates back to the 1700s, is over two floors, with a classic loggia looking onto the surrounding countryside, a sunny sitting room taking up the entire ground floor, a large dining room, six bedrooms and a little tower. On the ground floor, French windows lead to a landscaped garden, terraced on two levels. A few steps down, a wide lawn surrounds the pool and pool house, which serves in summer as an outdoor sitting and dining room. Lawns also lead up to the front of the farmhouse, framed by cypress trees, old fashioned rose bushes, irises and lavender.

The cosy country kitchen is fully equipped with all modern appliances and leads onto a pergola facing west, overgrown with the famous Brolio grape varieties, perfect for al fresco lunches and lingering candlelit dinners over a bottle of Chianti.

Paths lead from the farmhouse all over the estate and beyond, with breathtaking views around every corner. The people living and working on the property are always happy to welcome guests, to give advice and make them feel at home.

Agresto was restored and decorated with the help of the Florentine architect and illustrator Paolo Fiumi. He has brought his keen sense of colour and many personal decorative touches to this, the best of its kind in Tuscan rural architecture. The house sleeps 12-14 over 300m² with a one hectare garden. There is local shopping at San Regolo, 3.5km away, or at Gaiole in Chianti 14km away; there are also tennis courts at Gaiole.

The ground floor of the house has an entrance hall, dining room, kitchen, double bedroom with en-suite bathroom, twin bedroom with en-suite bathroom and cloakroom. The upper floor has a large living room with fireplace, a double bedroom with en-suite bathroom, two twin bedrooms and a bathroom. The tower has a study, which can be turned into another twin bedroom.

The garden has a 12 x 6 metres swimming pool. Safety is guaranteed: the pool area is fenced and only accessible by a gate. In the summer, you can use the living room/dining area next to the pool (with fridge and barbecue). There is a vine-covered pergola with table and chairs next to the kitchen, and there is a large lawn in front of the house.