Borgo San Felice Resort, just 20 minutes by car from Siena in the centre of the Chianti region, can look back on a long history: Etruscan tombs bear witness to a settlement during the 6th century BC, and in 714 it became the object of desire during a feud between the bishops of Arezzo and Siena. In the 18th century, the Sienese noble family Grisaldi Del Taja lived here and laid the foundations for the winery as co-founders of the 'Consorzio del Chianti Classico'. The village was coveted, inhabited and eventually abandoned until the Allianz Group awakened it from its slumber in 1992. Carefully restoration preserved the ancient charm and gave the building ensemble a new purpose as a noble country resort whose rooms, suites and villas are located in many of the village’s historic buildings, furnished in classic-elegant country house style. You can also look forward to first-class cuisine: the resort has three wineries and two restaurants, one offering traditional Tuscan cuisine and the other, Michelin-starred cuisine.
Under the shade of a tall pine, leave your cares behind you. Breathe in the scent of ripe citrus fruits, blossoming thyme shrubs and lush lavender bushes. Enjoy marvellous views of the cypress-lined avenues, the surrounding vineyards and silvery shimmering olive groves. What a perfect retreat! Juan Quintero is completely in his element in the midst of this idyll: the Colombian-born chef is responsible for the cuisine at the Relais & Châteaux Borgo San Felice Resort. While the 'Osteria del Grigio' is dedicated to familiar Tuscan cuisine concepts, 'Il Poggio Rosso', which has been awarded a Michelin star (and a second star for sustainability), offers a gourmet range of sophisticated haute cuisine. This includes Quintero’s signature style of refining local cuisine with flavours from distant countries, creating sophisticated new interpretations. The basic ingredients mostly come from his own gardens, Tuscan fishermen and local farmers who share his passion for quality and sustainable cultivation. With signature creations such as red prawns from Porto Ercole with sea urchin, kumquat and goji berries or stuffed quail with walnut, grapefruit and red curry, he leaves a truly indelible mark. And naturally, the individual courses are served with the appropriate wine, which comes from the well-stocked wide-ranging wine cellar. How about a bottle from the collection of the resort’s own wineries? The Tenuta Campogiovanni south of Montalcino and the Bell’Aja vineyard in Bolgheri are also part of San Felice. From the fruity and elegant Chianti Classico or an expressive Vigorello to the eclectic Brunello di Montalcino or a vibrant Bolgheri Superiore – lovers of Italian wines will get their money’s worth and delight their taste buds here: a wine tasting in the resort’s Enoteca is a great way to try these captivating wines.
San Felice Estate, Castelnuovo Berardenga
As an iconic winery in the Chianti region, San Felice has always been dedicated to using innovative processes for outstanding quality wines. Today, the winery cultivates its wine from mainly Sangiovese grape varieties on around 150 hectares. The location at around 400 metres above sea level provides the vines with ideal soil and climatic conditions. Following the principles of sustainable philosophy, each slope is planted individually according to its geographical characteristics. The wine is stored in the Borgo’s extensive cellars which date back to the 18th century and combine ancient tradition with state-of-the-art technology. The result is 10 renowned red and white wines, as well as grappa and vinsanto. What’s more, golden oils are pressed from the harvest of the 15,000 olive trees of San Felice.
Although there is always something new to discover at the extensive Borgo San Felice Resort, it’s also well worth venturing beyond the village. You are welcome to use the hotel’s own vintage car, a red Cinquecento, which is perfect for this: driving the small cult Fiat 500 through the hilly Tuscan landscape is a real pleasure – and you can even master the narrow alleyways of the neighbouring villages with ease. Of course, you can also take a trip to the world-famous cultural sites and sights of Siena or Florence. When you return to San Felice after gaining many vivid impressions and experiences, it’s time to relax in your own personal style: with a cocktail at the bar as the red sun sinks behind the hilly landscape, with a few refreshing dips in the pool or with a wonderfully relaxing visit to the spa where you can choose from various massage and beauty treatments. 'Sta bene' is the credo here – enjoy the finer things in life! Borgo San Felice Resort makes this so easy for us to do.
