The wine cellar of Abbadia Ardenga belonging to the Roman- Etruscan period, was located on very important highway for goods exchange, connecting the Etruscan town of Chiusi, Roselle, Arezzo and Volterra. Here one of the first protecting tower was built.
In this region there are buildings made of stone that date back to the prehistoric period, because here there were many rich springs.
The Black Tower, so called because of the colour of its stone, overlooked the Roman road Cassia from Siena to Rome.
It was considered the border between the Valley of the river Asso and the Valley of the river Arbia.
In 990 the Archbishop of Canterbury stopped here on his way back from Rome to London and also Arrigo VII from Luxemburg, King of Germany and Emperor of the Roman Empire stayed here where he unespectedly died.
In 1315 an Italo-German army left from Pisa and came to this castle attacking and destroying it to revenge the death of their Emperor that they thought to have poisoned.
After many years of fightings, the castle was rebuilt and the area developed again.
Along the Roman road Cassia, new houses, shops, a church and a new castle were built to defend the new developments that were born along the river Asso.
The village became a self- governing Comune under the jurisdiction of Siena and took the name of Torrenieri.
The castle of the Black Tower, under the ownership of the Piccolomini Family, became a “ Post Station “ named Torrenieri but still keeping its appearance of an old castle.
The Sienese historian Giovanni Pecci wrote :
“ On the road from Siena to Rome,
on a hill cultivated with vineyards and olive trees,
close to the river Asso,
the small castle of Torrenieri is located. ”
In the first half of the XIX century, the “ Post Station “ was transferred near the coming train station, while the buildings at the “Poggio” were transformed into a modern farm : oil-mills, wine cellars, warehouses and houses for the workers.
With the recent archaeologic discoveries, we could rebuild the real characteristics of the Black Tower.
...One who doesn’t remember his paste is like a tree without roots...
At the beginning the XIX century the Piccolomini Family began to sell olive oil and wine to the travellers coming to the “ Post Station “.
The ceramics at the entrance of the wine cellar is the symbol of the estate.