Cantine Leonardo da Vinci was established in 1961 upon the initiative of the owners of 30 farms who decided to join forces to tackle the problems brought about by the breakdown of the crop-sharing system. This co-operative gathered its first harvest in 1965, followed by production of the wine and its sale by the barrel. In 1971, the direct marketing of two bottled products began: a white, Collebello, and the Leonardo Chianti. This red is still part of the range of wines produced today. In the following years, encouraged by its success, Cantine Leonardo da Vinci decided to broaden the range of wines, focusing its attention on bottled products in general and on quality wines in particular.
The original headquarters, restructured and enlarged, are still the operative centre today. The winery is situated in the borough of Vinci, just 5 kilometres from the birthplace of the world famous artist and inventor Leonardo.
The co-operative takes its name from the great man, paying homage to the mind of the man who was universally recognised as a genius and to emphasise its deep-rooted bond with the territory, the same bond which Leonardo felt and whose surname is specifically associated with the village where he was born on 15 April 1452.
Today, Cantine Leonardo da Vinci is a pioneering co-operative, innovative and modern, which relies on the work and grape production of its 160 members.