Leonardo DaVinci’s Vinyard today
In the early 20th century, scholar and architect Luca Beltrami conducted extensive research to discover where the vineyards lie. After identifying the site through historic documents, he excavated the vine roots, testing them to determine what type of grapes DaVinci cultivated (the malvasia di candia aromatica). Beltrami documented the position and photographed its remains, helping restoration efforts after World War II covered the site in debris. In 2015, the site opened as a museum, welcoming visitors to walk among daVinci’s original quiet haven. This cultural venture was short lived, as French billionaire Bernard Arnault purchased the property for private use in 2022, closing the site off to the public in 2023. Arnault has not made any statement about what he intends to do with the site, or if it will be open to the public for cultural tours again.