Imagine spending an idyllic vacation in a secluded and romantic corner of Tuscany...
just minutes from Lucca, a half an hour from Pisa and an hour from Florence and Cinque Terre.

Francesca Pardini and Piero Tartagni take pleasure in welcoming you to Fattoria Colle Verde!
While virtual reality can't completely capture the breathtaking beauty of our picturesque estate in the green hills outside Lucca, we hope you will take the time to explore our website and perhaps be inspired to pay us a visit. We took over the operation of Colle Verde's vineyards, olive tree groves and farmhouses in 1989 after having lived in Rome for many years where we both worked as film & TV producers.

The decision to relocate to the country was actually a homecoming of sorts for Francesca, whose family has owned this property for generations. Today the Fattoria not only produces some of Tuscany's finest vines and extra-virgin olive oils, but also participates in the country's popular agriturismo program and offers a variety of accommodations to those who enjoy the farm holiday experience.

Over the years we have dedicated tremendous time and energy to ensuring that Colle Verde remains a place that provides the high level of hospitality expected of our guests while respecting the rich agricultural traditions and maintaining the distinctive cultural heritage and unique quality of life of this special region of Italy. The 17th century farmhouse and farm buildings on the property have been renovated and furnished in a manner faithful to the traditional style of Tuscany and have been outfitted with the modern conveniences necessary to provide our guests with comfortable accommodations in a tranquil rural setting.

Amenities on the Estate:
We offer a variety of services, facilities and amenities to enhance your stay with us.

Wine & Olive Oil Boutique:
The making of wine and olive oil are Colle Verde's main activities and we are proud that the quality of our products has led them to be recognized as some of the finest in Italy. We are also listed in several leading
international gourmet directories and travel guides.
All of our products may be purchased in our Cantina which is open from 9 am - 6 pm daily.

Wine & Olive Oil Tasting:
Guests are always welcome to stop by wine cellar for a complimentary glass of wine. On request we organize Olive Oil and Wine Tasting's which include a tour of our to oil press and winery and a description of all production procedures.

Swimming Pools:
There are two unattended swimming pools on our property that are open all day from the beginning of May until the end of September.

WEDDING RECEPTIONS
Over the years we have developed an excellent reputation for organizing wedding receptions for guests from all over the world.
If you are considering getting married in Tuscany we encourage you to send us an e-mail: we will
provide you with everything you may need including information about legal procedures and other
steps one must take to get married in Italy (with either a religious or civil ceremony), help you contact local authorities and take care of arranging hospitality for your friends and relatives.
Above all we will help you plan every detail of your reception, from the banquet to the wedding cake to floral arrangements and other decorations to live music.

Fax, email, wireless connection:
Please see Piero if you would like to send or receive faxes or sign on to the internet to read or send e-mail.
A free wi-fi connection is available in the area surrounding the reception.

Laundry:
A coin-operated washing machine is at your disposal during your stay. We provide clotheslines and clothespins to dry your wash.

Facilities and services off the Estate
Shopping
A shopping mall with an Esselunga supermarket, a bank, a dry cleaner, a coffee bar and several other shops is located 3 km from the farm and is open weekdays from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. (Closed all day Sunday & Monday morning).

Restaurants
There are at least 5 restaurants within 5 km of the estate whose cuisine we can recommend to you
ranging from the simple but savory dishes prepared at 'Vecchio Pazzo' to the refined 1-star Michelin cuisine of the elegant 'Ristorante Butterfly'.
If you would like to have lunch or dinner in Lucca (the town is only a 15-minute drive from Colle Verde), we strongly recommend'La Buca di S.Antonio' and 'L'Antica Locanda dell'Angelo': both restaurants have been in operation since the Middle Age and serve delicious interpretations of traditional Tuscan cuisine.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Bigottino
(Sleeps up to 4 guests)
A converted barn with its own garden and terrace.
Small kitchen; living / dining room; 1 twin & 1 double bedroom; 2 bathrooms (1 with shower).
Access to shared swimming pool.
(A sofa bed can be provided if a party of 5 wishes to stay at this property.)

LEONELLA
(Sleeps up to 4 guests)
A ground floor apartment located above the wine cellar.
Large living room furnished in period style; eat-in kitchen with fireplace; 1 twin e 1 double bedroom; 2 bathrooms (1 with shower, 1 with bathtub). Covered patio for outside dining with barbecue grill & pizza oven.
Access to shared swimming pool.

Bigotto
(Sleeps up to 6 guests)
A large covered loggia where you can truly enjoy outdoor living! The ideal spot for al fresco dining with fine views down the valley!
Ground Floor: Eat-in kitchen with fireplace.
Upstairs: 1 double & 2 twin bedrooms; 2 bathrooms
with shower.
Access to shared swimming pool.

CASTELLO
(Sleeps up to 6 guests)
A flight of stone steps leads up to this spacious apartment above the wine cellar.
Large eat-in kitchen; sitting room under a glass skylight;
1 double & 2 twin bedrooms; two bathrooms with showers; covered patio for eating outside.
Access to shared swimming pool.

NARDINELLO
(Sleeps up to 12 guests)
Located approximately 500 meters from the other
properties, this large detached 17th century farmhouse
has its own private swimming pool.
Ground floor: Eat-in kitchen with fireplace; 1 room with small double bed; bathroom with shower.
1st Floor: 2 sitting rooms with fireplace; 1 double & 1 twin bedroom; two bathrooms with showers.
2nd Floor: large living room; 3 twin bedrooms; two bathrooms with showers.
Outside: large covered verandah with barbecue grill, table & chairs; ping pong table

Sistemazioni disponibili:

Appartamenti: 4 - Ville/Casolari: 1

Servizi disponibili:

Attività:

Ubicazione : , Matraia - Capannori (Lucca)
Coordinate satellitari: Lat. 43.912363 - Lon.10.571594

Arrivare a Fattoria Colleverde

How to reach us:
1) Make it for Lucca. Once you are in town take the road around the city walls until you see the sign for Road N.12 'Abetone'.
2) Follow the road for approx 5 kms, turn right when you see the sign to 'MATRAIA'and 'Villa Reale'.
3) Once you arrive at the Villa Reale's gates bear left and then right, always following the 'Matraia' signs.
4) After approx 3 kms turn right when you see the sign 'FATTORIA COLLE VERDE', and follow the road for 1km.

Fattoria Colleverde SU GOOGLE MAP

* "Tourist Tax" - if appliable - must be paid by the client on "site".
** No refunds: we will issue eventually a voucher
Rents go from Saturday to Saturday
All above Prices are in Euros
SWIMMING POOLS: open from May 1st. to end of September
PRICES INCLUDE: gas, electricity and final cleaning
HEATING COSTS: not included
EXTRA-BED: 20 euro per person per day
COTS & BABY CRIBS: free
DOGS & PETS allowed: final cleaning Euro 30,00

Per maggiori informazioni vi preghiamo di contattare direttamente Fattoria Colleverde per conoscere la disponibilità e le tariffe

FATTORIA COLLEVERDE : WINES AND OLIVE OIL TASTING LUCCA

FATTORIA COLLEVERDE : LUCCA WINES AND OLIVE OIL
The Colle Verde Estate was assembled in the 16th century by Tomas Guinigi,
a scion of one of the leading families of Lucca during the medieval and renaissance periods.
Vineyards and olive groves lie on a wide, south-facing valley dropping from 300 to 100 meters above sea level.
This natural amphitheater of terraces creates an extremely well balanced and unique agricultural ecosystem.
The special microclimate and the distinctive characteristics of our terrain combined with the almost obsessive care that has been lavished upon our grape vines and olive trees for centuries enables us to produce distinctive wines and olive oils that manifest intense varietal perfumes and full flavors.
Sometimes rather austere and reserved at first, as you get to know them they display noble and generous characteristics qualities that are very much like those of the people
who have lived and worked in these hills for generations.

The Vineyards
Colle Verde produces 100% of the grapes used in its wines in its own vineyards located in Matraia, an area included in the appellation ‘Colline Lucchesi’ (Hills of Lucca). The 35-acres of vines lay on a wide valley dropping from 984 to 328 feet above sea level.
Shielded by the Apennine Mountains from the harsh Tramonte winds blowing down from the North, the estate’s vineyards benefit from a distinctive microclimate further mitigated by mild breezes blowing off the Mediterranean sea which lies just 17 miles to the West. The present boundaries of the vineyard was first laid out in 1948, and it has since undergone 2 major replantings: currently the vineyard is planted primarily with S.Giovese and Trebbiano grapes which are both representative of Tuscany most traditional grape varietals. Additional varieties include Syrah and Chardonnay - grapes that have both become ‘traditional’ in the area since they were introduced to Lucca by Napoleon about 200 years ago - and Grechetto,a white grape whose origins go back to the Etruscan Age and is primarily used to produce our ‘Vinsanto’.
The location for each variety is determined by the physical characteristics of the land: sandy And pebbly soils for the whites,clayey and loamy soils for the reds.

"Earth Friendly" Winemaking
Our winemaking philosophy is based on the belief that great wines always begin in the vineyard, but in order to achieve the goal it is our responsibility to farm the land in harmony with nature not only to produce the finest quality wines, but also to protect the environment.
Since 1992 the entire Colle Verde Estate has been dedicated to ‘Integrated Pest Management’ programs that minimize the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. In 1999 all our productions went organic, as certified by ICEA As from 2006 we fully turned into biodynamic viticulture, with implementation of the classic biodynamic preparations and teas, and use of natural yeasts.

Colle Verde’s ‘natural farming’ practices in the vineyard include:
> planting cover crops to improve the soil’s natural fertility
> using copper and sulphur based products for pest control
> creating a bio-diverse habitat by letting portions of the property remain uncultivated to provide a wild habitat for beneficial insects and natural predators
> conserving soil through composting and mechanical weeding

The Winery
The winery - built partly above ground and partly underground - dates back to the beginning of the 16th century: since then, every year for nearly 500 years, a new vintage wine has been nurtured within these walls.
Over the years the winery has been modernized, addingstate-of-the-art equipment and techniques to ensure high quality wine.
Oak-aging, the final step in our winemaking program, adds depth and concentration to our wines by using small French-made barrels and larger Italianmade ones.
While most of our white grapes go directly from the press to small French oak barrels for fermentation, our Chardonnay and Trebbiano grapes undergo 48-hours of skin contact before barrel fermentation. All Colle Verde red wines undergo extended (up to 21 days) skin contact to add richness, deep color and intense flavors.
Only after the fermentation is completed does barrel-aging, a process lasting from 12 to 24 months, begin.
At the end of the aging process, we insist on bottling our red wines without filtration to preserve their character, fruit and texture.

The Winery Reception
Visitors are always welcome at the winery. You can drop in just for a complimentary glass of our red or white wine in the ‘cantina’, or ask for a more complete tour of the winery and the olive oil press.

WINE TASTING & TOURS
For individuals & small groups
(up to 8 guests, Monday through Saturday):
You will follow the grape’s journey as it travels from the vineyard thorough the cellar to the finished wine. You will learn about the history of viniculture, about the complex process of fermenting the grapes, and about the mysteries of oak-aging. Afterwards, enjoy a tasting of Colle Verde wines.
The tour takes about 45 minutes and costs €15,00 per person.

For group tours
(more than 8 guests, Monday through Friday):
Groups are welcome to the winery to discover the art of wine and olive oil making. The tour includes a visit to the Olive Oil Press and an explanation of historical insights involved in olive oil production followed by a tasting of our olive oil and continues with a winery-tour focusing on all aspects of viniculture, including a sit-down tasting
of selected Colle Verde wines. The tour takes about 90 minutes and costs € 20,00 per person.

Wine, Olive Oil & Lunch
(Group Tours for a minimum of 16 guests, Monday through Friday)

On request, we offer winery-tours combined with a light luncheon served in our ‘Taverna’ or on the patio. The lunch is conceived especially to demonstrate how wine, typical Tuscan food and olive oil can come together in a harmonious way. Vegetarian menus are available!
The tour takes about 3 hours and costs € 38,00 per person.


OUR OLIVE OIL
Writing in the Corriere della Sera in 1997, Luigi Veronelli, Italy's most important food and wine writer, praised our Matraja brand as "the best olive oil of Italy." Winner of the national Ercole Olivario Award in 1994, unquestionably Italy's most prestigious prize devoted to premium olive oils, ‘Matraja’ has also been cited innumerable times in the international press, in books devoted to olive oils and in leading travel guides.

THE OLIVE GROVES
The first organized planting of olive trees on the Matraja hill dates from the 16th Century. Today the plantation’s olive groves contain approximately 3,000 trees distributed among 17 hectares (51 acres). The varieties of olive trees cultivated on the estate are representative of those traditionally planted in the Lucca region and consist of Frantoio (90%), Leccino (5%) and Moraiolo
Olive trees must be pruned every year to optimize production, improve the quality of the olives and limit their exposure to diseases, since manufacturing top quality "extra virgin" oil requires a perfectly healthy, unblemished fruit. In order to totally avoid the use of chemicals and pesticides, we only use special pheromone-based ‘eco-traps’ to control the population of dangerous insects. In addition a small grazing herd of 7 Häflinger ponies takes care of the natural fertilization and weeding of the olive groves, making the production of our olive oil ‘organic’ in all respects.

THE HARVEST
The timing and method of harvesting are essential and crucial components in the production of a quality olive oil. According to Tuscan tradition, the olive harvest takes place long before the fruit is fully ripe, with operations usually starting in early November and proceeding through mid-December. This results in an olive oil high in flavor and rich in chlorophyll and polyphenols, ingredients that preserve the oil and prevent it from aging and oxidizing. As far as harvesting procedures are concerned, the Colle Verde Estate strictly avoids the use of canes for beating the trees or of nets to collect fallen olives blown to the ground by the wind. Only hand-picking can guarantee the perfect state required of olives before they are transported to the mill for pressing into oil.

OLIVE OIL TASTING
Learn the ‘true story’ about making a top-quality, cold-pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the source: at our Olive Oil Press!
For individuals & small groups
Discover the history of olive oil production - from the ancient Hellenic Age to modern times - learn about today’s procedures for making high-quality olive oil. The presentation is followed by an olive oil tasting that meets professional standards.
The tour takes about 45 minutes and costs € 15,00 per person.

For group tours
Groups are welcome to the winery to discover the art of wine and olive oil making.
The tour includes a visit to the Olive Oil Press and an explanation of historical insights involved in olive oil production followed by a tasting of our olive oil and continues with a winery-tour focusing on all aspects of viniculture, including a sit-down tasting of selected Colle Verde wines.
The tour takes about 90 minutes and costs € 20,00 per person.

‘Wine, Olive Oil & Food’ Group Tours
On request, we offer winery-tours combined with a light luncheon served in
our ‘Taverna’ or on the patio. The lunch is conceived especially to demonstrate
how wine, typical Tuscan food and olive oil can come together in a harmonious
way. Vegetarian menus are available!
The tour takes about 3 hours and costs € 38,00 per person.

Fattoria Colleverde : Corsi di cucina Toscana

Cooking Courses
Catered to people with a passion for “La Cucina Italiana”

Our chef Rodolfo will reveal the secrets of typical Tuscan cuisine – everything from how to make fresh cinque terre - Google Maps homemade pasta to the use of aromatic herbs and spices, from baking bread to preparing main courses using seasonal meats and vegetables.

He will share with you the secrets of preparing not only fresh ‘tagliatelle’ but also several typical Tuscan dishes including:
‘pappardelle alla lepre’ (pasta with hare sauce); pork coated with ‘briseè’ paste roasted in our wood burning oven; chicken&rabbit ‘alla cacciatora’ (with bay leaves and green olives); guinea-fowl with ‘aceto balsamico’; wild-boar ‘in salmi’ with red Sangiovese wine, and traditional desserts like ‘panna cotta’.

Classes are small, informal, and geared toward hands-on learning.
We provide a relaxed setting withudents.

The course includes a tour of our wine cellar and olive oil mill as well as a chance to sample our awardwinning extra-virgin olive oil fresh off the cold press.

Length of Course: 4-5 hours
Tuition: 85 Euro per person
Minimum 8 people