Founded in 1051 by the Vallombrosan monks of Giovanni Gualberto, Badia a Coltibuono quickly became a key center for agricultural activity in the Chianti region.The Vallombrosan monks, keen scholars with a deep respect for nature and its resources, gave new impetus to the cultivation of the land—especially vines and olive trees. They continued agricultural practices that had already been in place since the 3rd century BC, initiated by the Etruscans and Romans from the nearby village of Cetamura del Chianti.

A document from the late 12th century, preserved in the abbey’s archives, contains one of the earliest known references to the name “Chianti.”