Poggio al Sole
Wine Tasting & Cellar Tours in Chianti Classico
Poggio al Sole, the hill in the sun, lies on a ridge above the abbey of Badia a Passignano: more than a hundred hectares of land, over twenty of them under vine, on slopes that turn from east round to north-west and climb to over 500 metres above sea level. The height and those cooler exposures make for a long, slow ripening. The Davaz family has farmed it since 1990, and every stage is still theirs to decide: when to prune, when to pick, how the wine ferments, how long it rests in oak, when a bottle is ready to leave.
That completeness is what a visit is really about. You can stand in the vineyard a wine came from, walk into the cellar where this year’s is still working, and taste the finished bottle in the garden, all in little more than an hour.
The family
Made by the people who live here
The Davaz family came to Chianti from the Bündner Herrschaft in Switzerland and took over Poggio al Sole in 1990. Between the two brothers the whole craft is covered: Andrea specialised in the cellar, Johannes in the vineyards and the land. Johannes lives on the estate with his family.
So the wine in your glass was grown and made within a few hundred metres of the table you are sitting at. Whatever you would like to know, about a vintage, the harvest or the years in oak, the answer is here on the estate.
Counter Tasting
Taste our wines
Five wines at the counter, alongside our own extra virgin olive oil and condimento balsamico. All organic, all from this estate.
The right choice if you are crossing Chianti with a full day ahead and want to taste properly in half an hour.
€ 15
per person · about 30 minutes
Cellar Tour & Tasting
All around winemaking
A glass is poured before we set off, so you have something to sip while we talk about the land. For centuries it belonged to the abbey of Badia a Passignano, whose archives record vines here as far back as the twelfth century, then through the long era of mezzadria, until the estate passed to the Davaz family in 1990.
Then we walk: from the vineyard through the working sections of the cellar, where the wine ferments and then rests in oak, and out into the garden, where the tasting is waiting. What you see depends on the season: this is a cellar at work, not a display.
Tours at 11:00, 13:30 and 16:00.
€ 30
per person · about 75 minutes
Cellar Tour, Tasting & Light Lunch
The full visit, with Light Lunch in the garden
The same tour, followed by our Light Lunch: an abundant platter of local specialities, dressed with our own olive oil and condimento balsamico. What is on it changes with the season.
Finger food rather than a sit-down meal, put together while you are down in the cellar so it reaches the table fresh. Available April to October.
€ 40
per person · about 90 minutes
Experiences & Prices
Counter Tasting
€ 15
per person · 30 min
Five wines, our olive oil and condimento balsamico. All organic, all from the estate.
Cellar Tour & Tasting
€ 30
per person · 75 min
From the vineyard through the cellar to a tasting in the garden. 11:00, 13:30, 16:00.
Cellar Tour, Tasting & Light Lunch
€ 40
per person · 90 min
The full tour with an abundant platter of local specialities. April to October.
Your visit
What a visit here is like
Tours are in English, and we gather visitors into small groups, so you may walk the cellar alongside another couple or family. After the tour, each party is seated at its own table in the garden, with the vineyards and the hills in front of you.
The pace is yours. If you want to talk about Sangiovese clones and fermentation temperatures, we are glad to go there. If you would rather sit with a glass and watch the light move across the hills, that is just as good a visit.
In the glass
The wines
A tasting works across the estate’s range: the whites and the rosato, then the Sangiovese this hill is known for. Which bottles are open depends on the day and the season, and there is often something being poured that you will not find outside the estate. All organic, all made here.
Spittoons are on the table, so you can taste everything and still drive home comfortably. And if someone in your party is not drinking at all, we reduce the price of their tasting.
Planning your visit
Finding us
We are at Strada Rignana 2, Badia a Passignano, in the comune of Barberino Tavarnelle, in the heart of Chianti Classico, between Florence and Siena, about half an hour by car from Florence. The tasting room is open all year, 10:30 to 18:00, and closed on Sundays.
A Counter Tasting needs no reservation: if we are open, we will pour for you. Cellar tours and the Light Lunch are better booked ahead. We try to fit in visitors who arrive on the day, but we cannot promise it, and outside the season a call first is especially welcome.
You can take wine home with you, and we ship to most destinations.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to book?
For a Counter Tasting, no. If we are open, you are welcome to walk in. Cellar tours and the Light Lunch are better arranged in advance: we will always try to accommodate visitors who arrive on the day, but with a small team and a cellar to run we cannot promise it. Outside the season, and on Saturdays, please write or call before you set out.
How long does a visit take?
The Counter Tasting takes about 30 minutes, the Cellar Tour & Tasting about 75, and the version with Light Lunch about 90.
What language are the tours in?
Our cellar tours are conducted in English.
Will we share the tour with other visitors?
Cellar tours are run for small groups, so you may walk the cellar alongside another party. For the tasting in the garden, every party is seated separately at its own table.
Can we bring children?
Children are very welcome on the cellar tour, and we enjoy the questions they come up with about how wine is made. They do not taste the wines, and we reduce the price accordingly.
Can we bring our dog?
Dogs are welcome at the estate, we are fond of them. Food safety rules mean they cannot join the tour itself, so we find them a comfortable spot outside with a bowl of water while you walk the cellar.
Is the winery suitable for wheelchair users?
Honestly, not very. The cellar is in a very old building and a tour involves several staircases. If walking stairs is difficult, a Counter Tasting is the easier way to visit.
Is there a vegetarian option for the Light Lunch?
Yes. Please let us know when you book so we can prepare it properly.
Can you cater for vegans?
Not on our Light Lunch platter, which is built around local cheeses and cured meats. But our own Locanda di Poggio al Sole, a few minutes away above Greve in Chianti, cooks vegan dishes and pours the same wines, so you can still taste the estate over a proper meal.
Do you have a gluten-free option?
We can prepare a gluten-free platter, but our kitchen is very small and we cannot rule out cross-contamination. If you are coeliac rather than gluten-avoiding, please take that into account.
What if I am driving, or don’t drink?
Spittoons are provided at every tasting, so you can taste the full range without swallowing. If someone in your party is not drinking at all, we reduce the price of their tasting.
When is the Light Lunch available?
From April to October.
Is there parking?
Yes, free parking at the estate, including two charging points for electric cars.
Can I charge my electric car?
Yes. There are two AC charging points at the estate for our guests, billed at the ordinary domestic electricity rate. Please let a member of our staff know once you have plugged in.
How far are you from Florence or Siena?
About half an hour by car from Florence, and around forty minutes from Siena.
Can I pay by card?
Yes. We accept all major debit and credit cards, contactless, Apple Pay and Google Pay. We are not able to accept American Express.
Is the tasting fee deducted if I buy wine?
No. We keep the price of the visit and the price of the wine separate, so that each is priced fairly on its own.
Can I buy wine to take home?
Yes. Our full range is available at the estate, including wines we sell only here. We can also ship to most destinations, so you do not have to carry the bottles with you.
We would like a proper meal rather than a platter. What do you suggest?
Our own Locanda di Poggio al Sole, a few minutes away above Greve in Chianti, serves seasonal Tuscan cooking with our wines on a panoramic terrace.
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