Argiano is part of the history of the Montalcino region and it’s one of the most prestigious and historical reality in the area. The name is thought to derive from the first settlements in Roman times – ‘Ara Janus’, referring to the god Janus. Another potential origin could be ‘the land of the River Orcia’ – known in ancient times as ‘Orgia’ and therefore Argiano.
The history of Argiano has a turning point in the 16th century with the decline of the Tolomei family in favor of the noble Pecci family from Sienna and with the construction of their magnificent villa between 1580 and 1596, perfect exempla of a 16th century noble residence. The name of the villa, Bell’Aria, was chosen when the Pecci decided to build it preserving the original center of the castle on the crest of the hill precisely because of the air quality.
The wine-making industry of Argiano was born also thanks to the construction of the cellar in those years, about four centuries ago. Besides, the 1616 manuscript of Bartolomeo Gherardini, the Auditor General in Siena, makes reference to the production of olive oil.
Over the course of the centuries the Estate passed through various noble families until it came under the inspired leadership of Lady Ersilia Caetani Lovatelli, who was able to promote the products of Argiano in major cultural gatherings at the time. It’s well-know what the great poet Carducci declaimed in his verse: “I cleanse myself of this bitterness with the wine of Argiano, which is extremely good…”
Argiano won the gold medal at the Brussels Food Fair in 1932 for fine dessert and table wines, and in 1935 it featured in the Trade Exhibition of typical Italian wines. In 1967 Argiano made history with the Brunello of Montalcino, playing a key role as a founding organization in the birth of the Consortium. In 1992 the Estate passed from the Caetani Lovatelli to the Countess Noemi Marone Cinzano, who introduced significant innovations to the management of the wine-making industry and revived the name of Argiano. Along with the countess came Giacomo Tachis, the world famous oenologist; a unique partnership which will bring to the creation of Solengo, the great Supertuscan of Montalcino.
And so we come to the present, with the transfer of ownership and company direction in 2013 into the hands of Bernardino Sani, who from 2015 also signs the wines.
Since 2019 Argiano is the first company in Montalcino to become plastic-free. All single-use plastics have been eliminated. The idea was inspired by a cyclical model, an approach based on waste differentiation and which follows the Rule of Return, or rather the re-use of the company’s discarded products (such as stems and vine shoots), and maintains the 4 Rs for the environment: Reduce, Recuperate, Recycle and Reuse.
Argiano practices an organic and sustainable method of agriculture. It believes in the balance of biodiversity and strives to attain it, through techniques aiming to soil fertility, implementing with natural products like weeds, chestnut tannins, propolis and zeolite. Even natural insecticides are banned; instead, techniques like sexual confusion and the release of adversarial insects are employed. The “bee” project which consists in placing hives next to the vineyards is joins the ones related to the usage of Mycorrhizae and the Microzonation study. The latter in particular, comprising the discovery of different microzones within single vineyard plots, enables to target and focus our approaches.

Argiano Dimore – a matter of choice.
Argiano Dimore forms part of the original complex of country houses surrounding the 16th century villa of Argiano. The Dimore benefits from a panoramic view, private gardens and a swimming pool. It was during the refurbishment and careful restoration of the Bell’Aria Villa that the idea of re-purposing the wooden beams from the roof was conceived, and they were used to create new designer furniture and interiors for the guest house.
Going back and rediscovering the origins of Argiano, it’s the driving force behind the renovation project for the guest house, and in that spirit the names of the three apartments date back to the original titles found in the Leopoldine land registry: Orto (vegatable garden),Casale (farmhouse) and Ovolaio.
The key concept behind the design of the Dimore is to restore and rediscover what was once seen as discarded material from the roof and would have been thrown away – instead making it into an object of luxury. Indeed, this ‘old’ material no longer suitable for its original function come back to life and is reborn into a new role. It is regenerated and rediscovered. Beams and joists take on new life, becoming side cabinets, stands, table lights, benches, tables and bookshelves.
This simple material, already old and devoid of life, becomes the foundation of the restoration project. It becomes an item of elegance and luxury, a bridge of communication, a vehicle of through time. The use of natural, basic materials such as raw linen, brick and wood dominates as a unifying feature of the Villa and the guest house. Set against this surface of rural identity from which the Farm itself originates, it’s the modern, clean and geometric style evoked by Corten sheets and combined with the natural and irregular texture of the wooden beams, so highlighting each one’s unique properties. The blend with the sharp and modern lines of the Corten serves to bring an object of restoration into the present as an integral element of modern design

In Argiano you can discover the secrets of the myth, Brunello di Montalcino,and get to know closely how Solengo, the great Supertuscan by Giacomo Tachis for Argiano, is made.
Tours in Argiano begin with a general introduction, then we move into the vineyard next to the cellar, where the various stages of cultivation are explained and where you can understand what is the organic-regenerative viticulture: the “Argiano model”. We follow the path from the vineyard to the glass. Tour continues in the cellar, to discover the different stages of production, vinification and bottling. We visit the barrel rooms, where the wine rests, the small private chapel and then Villa Bell’Aria.
Entering in the Villa the tour becomes a historical experience. After the dark years of the Middle Ages, with the Renaissance, the noble families no longer wanted and had to hide themselves in fortified citadels, but they wanted instead to show their prestigious residences. And it is at the end of the 16th century that Pecci decided to build Villa Bell’Aria on top of the Argiano hill. Better healthiness of the air and more prestigious position for a building presented to Cosimo de ’Medici by his Auditor General B. Gherardini as” the most beautiful country residence in Siena’s State “.After 5 years of conservative restoration, Villa Bell’Aria returns to its original splendor and can be finally visited again. Balance and harmony are the key words to enter into Argiano’s history and identity. Pecci had two children, so he designed this architectural jewel in a perfectly specular way. A perfect balance of complexity, which has become one of Argiano’s figures over the centuries and which can be found right up to the glass today, characterizing and identifying Argiano wines with the harmonious balance of the parts, style and elegance.
Before tasting the wines, a visit to the historic aging cellar of Argiano, which has always been counted among the most beautiful in Italy. The tour becomes exciting: the big casks where the most prestigious wines are aging, the ancient cistern enhanced by an architecture inspired by Fibonacci’s succession, the spiral of life, the historical collection and the niche dedicated to the legendary winemaker Giacomo Tachis, father of Sassicaia, Solaia and Tignanello and of our Solengo, his unique Supertuscan in Montalcino

Ad Argiano puoi scoprire i segreti del mito, il Brunello di Montalcino e conoscere da vicino come si fa Solengo, il grande supertuscan. Produciamo anche olio extra vergine di oliva biologico.