Our History
Agriturismo Terrarossa is located in the hills between Montepulciano and Cortona, and its ancient roots date back to the 11th century. Owned by the Marquises of Valiano, the Del Pecora family and then the Marquises Ridolfi, Terrarossa was donated in 1554 to the Spedale degli Innocenti of Florence. Terrarossa was in fact part of what in 1300 was the Fattoria di Valiano. Situated on the border between the Papal State and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, overlooking the Val di Chiana, it has witnessed major historical events, including the reclamation of the valley, a grandiose engineering and hydraulic work that was carried out in the 16th century by first Leonardo Da Vinci and then Antonio da Sangallo.
But it was not until 1788 that a definitive project was begun, to be completed almost ninety years later, designed by Vittorio Fossombroni and commissioned by Grand Duke Leopold I of Lorraine, who knew that once the valley was reclaimed, it would rightly become the most fertile and richest area in Tuscany. And it is in this area of strong, clayey soil that Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, one of the great DOCG wines, is produced.
Going back to its origins, in 1544, Terrarossa was bequeathed in a will (from the inheritance of Agnola di Ottaviano Contucci da Montepulciano, wife of Raffaello di Lorenzo Ridolfi, a member of a family of Florentine wool merchants) and became part of the property of the Spedale degli Innocenti of Florence, founded in 1419 by the Arte della Seta and now an Institute (at the time it was founded, it was the first institution in the world exclusively dedicated to the care of abandoned children).
In 1837, at the time of the government of Commissioner Carlo Michelagnoli, the farm was sold to Nicola Vegni, chancellor of the Opera Metropolitana of Siena.
In 1883, Angelo Vegni, Nicola's son, used the farm's assets to support the foundation of an Institute for Higher Education in Agriculture, which bears his name and which still represents an original point of reference of high cultural and scientific value for the Valdichiana and the rest of Italy. Later most of the farms were sold and Terrarossa was bought by my father Luciano Sallusti at the end of the 1960s.
The idea of renovating this historic farmhouse came about after I finished my university studies. Initially, I continued to attend universities in various parts of Italy, first as a postgraduate and doctoral student (Ph.D) and then as a contract researcher.
But soon after leaving my academic job, I decided to devote myself full-time to the farm and after a long and careful restoration, the accommodation was completed and the agriturismo was finally opened.
The farmhouse is in a strategic position, allowing guests to visit all the surrounding towns and cities without travelling too many kilometres. If you wish, I can help you to discover the most beautiful and particular places that the region offers, indicating the easiest roads, the most fascinating places, the best restaurants, furthermore, I can show you the various phases of the farm's production processes.
