Varramista’s fame as the Piaggio’s (designers and manufacturers of the legendary Vespa scooter) country residence has grown in recent decades.

In 1953 Dr. Enrico Piaggio purchased the Villa and its land from the Marquis Folco Gentile Farinola, making it his country home and hunting property. Varramista’s guests included famous personages, such as Count Emilio Pucci, Mastroianni, Count Clemente Zileri dal Verme and his wife, and Countess Spalletti, who were often mentioned in the social columns of the time. Enrico Piaggio’s wife - Donna Paola Piaggio - loved riding in the estate’s private stables.

The wedding of Antonella Bechi Piaggio (daughter of Enrico Piaggio, called “Riri”) to Umberto Agnelli was held in Varramista in 1959.
Giovanni Alberto Agnelli (President of Piaggio & Co. S.p.A), son of Antonella Bechi Piaggio, who remarried Duke Visconti di Modrone, repeated  history when he married Avery Howe in 1996.

In fact “Giovanni” Agnelli made Varramista his permanent residence from 1990. The vineyards’ rebirth thus commenced: analyses resulted in the selection of Syrah as the main grape and to date it is the essential component of Varramista, the wine Dr. Agnelli created both for himself and his friends.
Following Dr. Giovanni Alberto’s death in 1997, the Estate became the favourite abode of his mother Antonella Bechi Piaggio, Duchess Visconti di Modrone. It promotes the quality and the style the Varramista wants to represent in the world.

But Varramista’s history dates back to 1300.

According to one of the most circulated historical narratives, the Republic of Florence donated the Varramista estate to Gino di Neri Capponi (1350-1421) who led the Florentine militia to victory against the city of Pisa in 1406. Gino di Neri Capponi is said to have built the Villa as a solid outpost against the Pisans.

The main building - as it stands today - was completed between 1580 and 1589, as declared by the numbers engraved on old roof tiles of the Villa.

The Manor House’s design has been traced back to Bartolomeo Ammannati (1511-1592), famous Florentine sculptor and architect who was assigned many works by the Medici’s Court in those very years. He collaborated towards Palazzo Pitti’s transformation into a suburban villa and towards the creation of Neptune’s Fountain in Piazza della Signoria, Florence.

The Capponi were one of the most famous families in Florentine history and in a broad sense in Italian history too since the 12th century. The family’s most famous and distinguished member was Gino Capponi (1792-1876), only son of  Marquis Pier Roberto and Marchioness Maddalena Frescobaldi. He was a historian, senator, legislator and the leading force of 19th century literary, cultural and political circles. Of the many properties inherited from his father in 1825, Varramista was his favourite residence and the place where he hosted many personages of the Italian literary and political framework, also including Alessandro Manzoni, famous author of I Promessi Sposi.

In 1876 the Varramista residence was inherited by his daughter Marianna, Marquis Francesco Maria Gentile Farinola‘s widow since 1860. On her death in 1885, Varramista became the property of the Gentile Farinola family, nobles of Genoese origins.