Il Conventino

The name Il Conventino derives from a small convent from the 12th Century that Rolf and Ursula Dürrschmidt bought and renovated in the 1980s. Ursula Dürrschmidt Muller sold Il Conventino in spring 2003 to the Brini family–Pino, Duccio and Alessandro. Pino’s son, Alberto, who gave up a promising legal career, took over and currently runs the small estate. They also have three small apartments with a swimming pool which can be rented for stays in the vineyard.

The winery maintains 23 hectares of vineyards which have been farmed organically (and biodynamically) since 1995. While many vineyards in the area are picturesque, they are mostly arid and desert-like, with little life in the vineyard. By contrast, at il Conventino, wild grasses and plants are cultivated between the rows to help provide organic matter and beneficial organisms to the soil. No chemical pesticides or fertilizers are needed as the vines are ridiculously healthy with great immunity to disease. The vineyard’s health shines through in the wines. This is one of the top producers of Vino Nobile and one that should be on the radar of anyone looking for alternatives to Brunello and Chianti.