In the heart of Florence, at the foot of the famous Piazzale Michelangelo, lies a small green oasis that encapsulates the history and tradition of Tuscan viticulture. The Michelangelo Vineyard is a unique project, born from the desire of the Donne Fittipaldi winery to create a true Vitarium—an urban vineyard-garden that celebrates biodiversity and sustainability. With 700 vines cultivated using the traditional bush-trained method, this vineyard hosts ancient native varieties such as Sangiovese, Foglia Tonda, Pugnitello, Colorino del Val d’Arno, and Canaiolo—all carefully selected to preserve the historical memory of Tuscan viticulture.
Perfectly integrated into its surroundings, the vineyard blends with olive trees, cypresses, and other Mediterranean plants, creating a natural refuge for pollinating insects and migratory birds. In the future, trifolium pratense and trifolium incarnatum will also be planted—species particularly loved by bees—to further support local biodiversity.
This project also holds a deep personal connection for Maria Fittipaldi Menarini, who wished to continue the legacy of the family estate and the old vineyard that reminds her of her childhood. Cultivated with natural methods, the vineyard stands as a symbol of a return to ancient urban viticulture, highlighting Florence’s rural, scenic, and historical heritage.
An initiative that not only contributes to the conservation of endangered grape varieties, but also to the rediscovery of the role of the vineyard as a key element for urban sustainability and the connection between nature and city.