At the end of the last century, the Counts of Spalletti were producers of wine and olive oil, and already at that time owners of substantial properties in the Chianti Rufina zone, including the Fattoria di Colognole and other adjacent properties. In 1912 their passion for wine led them to establish a small bottling facility within the Colognole estate, which allowed them to commercialize their finest viticultural production independently. This was the first year of production of wines under the "Chianti Spalletti" label, wines typically expressive of the Chianti Rufina zone. In 1936 these commerical activities were formalized through the acquisition of the estate of Poggio Reale and its vinification and again facilities. Their business grew beyond their national boundaries, progressively extending into principal European markets.

Soon thereafter, Chianti Poggio Reale was launched under the name of the splendid renaissance villa which was an integral part of this property. Completed in the XVIth century, it was erected by the architect Ammannati and based on some original drawings of Michelangelo, his master and mentor. This ancient architectural edifice rises from the crest of a little hill overlooking the Rufina zone and dominating the entire Valdisieve, the valley of the Sieve River. From here one can see approximately 35 hectares of specialized vineyards belonging to the estate which climb up the hillsides on the opposite bank of the Sieve. Beyond these vineyards, the Spalletti family could rely on the contribution of grapes produced in the nearby agricultural estate of Colognole with its own 22 hectares of specialized vineyards. Between the two estates the vines cultivated were essentially the red varieties of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Colorino and a few white varieties such as Trebbiano, Malvasia and other vines typical of the region. In the '70s, as part of a vast viticultural restructuring program, a number of other autonomous varieties were planted, among which were Pinot Grigio, Müller-Thurgau, Chardonnay and other noble grapes.

On the commercial side, the years between 1936 and 1960 saw excellent growth for the Chianti Spalletti brand first in Italy, and then worldwide, until 1963, when Chianti Poggio Reale Banda Rossa Riserva (Chianti Poggio Reale Red Ribbon Reserve) was created. This product was destined to become the leader of the portfolio of Spalletti wines and a worthy adversary of the finest enological production of Tuscany.

In the 1970s the Spallettis took a further decisive step forward by creating, next to the old one, a new, double-line bottling facility for 750 ml and alternate types of bottles, furnished with the most advanced technology capable of reaching, in full operation, a capacity of 6,000 and 3,000 bottles an hour, respectively. In 1982, after a period during which the company was managed by a large multinational based in the region, the Marquise Gabriella Spalletti, with the assistance of her husband Luigi Coda Nunziante and sons Ferdinando and Cesare, reappropriated the presidency of the viticultural house and set forth the bases of a program of commercial expansion througout the most important markets of the world. In the following years the wines of the Spalletti portfolio, already present since the end of the 1960s in the European markets (particularly those of Germany, Britain, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland and France), reached the markets of South America, Canada, Australia, Japan and the United States. These last represented the most prestigious and interesting objectives considering the favorable period Italian wines were then enjoying in the United States and that market's evident potential for expansion.

It was during that same period of time - in 1983 to be exact - that the company introduced another red wine: the Chianti Poggio Reale Banda Blu (Chianti Poggio Reale Blue Ribbon), a wine for medium-term aging, positioned toward a consumer who requires a product of a certain structure and typicity yet is experiencing an evolution in taste such that he is beginning to seek a youthful wine which can pleasantly accompany everyday meals. Again, with this "last born" the rules and philosophy of production which have always been the guiding principle of the company have been respected: a "dynamic" quality of products which take into consideration, on the one hand, the typicity of the microclimate, and, on the other, the inevitable evolution in lifestyles, and thus, the tastes and habits of consumption. The Folonari family, owners of the Nozzole portfolio, currently own all rights to the labels, denominations and production of the Spalletti portfolio.