Timeless charming relais in Chianti
If you love the refinement of a charming boutique hotel and the welcoming hospitality of a historical residence in Chianti, the Relais Vignale & Spa is the perfect place for you in the Chianti region.
The Relais today
At the Relais Vignale & Spa extreme care has been taken over every detail, while respecting the original historical and architectural features.
The hall’s elegant lounges will welcome you and, as you stand before the impressive fireplace displaying the family’s coat of arms, you will be captivated by the details that bring to mind times gone by.
You will be equally stunned by the view as you approach the garden and the Spa, which were built in the ancient cellars, or the swimming pool.
You will gradually start to “feel” that you are in a special place and you will lose yourself in the peaceful atmosphere, in close contact with nature.
In fact, the Relais is an ideal starting point for walking or cycling, exploring the medieval villages and castles of Chianti and tasting the best Tuscan wines at the typical farms in the area, which are very often unknown.
In 2020, the Relais Vignale & Spa received the prestigious Golden Crown awarded to “Historical Residences” by successfully passing all 50 quality checks required by the Certification Protocol.
History of the Relais Vignale
The history that surrounds the Relais is truly fascinating and worthwhile getting to know.
The history of the Relais Vignale, which was originally a Farm, coincides with the history of Chianti Classico wine.
The first historical information about the Farm dates back to the 18th century, in the documents pertaining to the Grand Duke of Lorraine, Pietro Leopoldo. It was said that the Falconi family, who owned the Farm at that time: “… trade and send wine to England…”.
The Pianigiani family took over from the Falconi family and greatly intensified the production of wine. In August 1924, Baldassarre Pianigiani, the notary of Chianti, stipulated the document within the Vignale Farm that established “Gallo Nero”, the Consortium for the defence of typical “Chianti Classico” wine.
Evidence of this continuity can be found in the original documents kept in the archives of the Relais Vignale & Spa, where the registered office of the Chianti Centre of Historical Studies and the historical site of the Chianti Classico Gallo Nero Wine Consortium are located.
Inside the central part of the Relais, there is the Chapel of the Holy Martyrs St Fabian and St Sebastian, and of the Most Blessed Virgin of the Milk. Today, at the Relais Vignale, you can visit the private chapel and celebrate the renewal of vows.
SEE THE HISTORY OF THE CHAPEL
THE CHAPEL
The Chapel of the Holy Martyrs St Fabian and St Sebastian and of the Blessed Virgin of the Milk
The Chapel of the Holy Martyrs St Fabian and St Sebastian and of the Blessed Virgin of the Milk is part of the horizontal body of the manor house’s original structure.
During the pastoral visit in 1784, it is mentioned as the “oratory of Santa Maria de’ Signori Falconi di Radda”, included in the parish of San Niccolò in Radda in Chianti.
In a document dated 1832, it appears that this oratory was also dedicated to the “Blessed Virgin of the Milk”. It is also mentioned in the 19th century recollections of the “Pianigiani house”. Outside, the chapel has a stone portal, lateral cornices that support the architrave and two quadrangular windows on the sides of the entrance, also profiled in stone, typical of the period in which the manor house was built. Above the portal, there is the monogram of San Bernardino da Siena, surmounted by a small shrine that contains a small plate decorated with a terracotta relief.
Inside, there is a single rectangular room with a completely plastered ceiling covered with cross vaults. You can enter the chapel from the right-hand wall at the back, inside the building. On the end wall, there is the altar with a golden tabernacle, inside which there is a relief depicting the Madonna nursing her Child.