ProducerVino Nobile di Montepulciano
Avignonesi
アヴィニョネージ
Italy's largest biodynamic estate, revered for its legendary Occhio di Pernice Vin Santo.
A historic Montepulciano estate producing Vino Nobile alongside the legendary Occhio di Pernice (Vin Santo), famous for its rare, unctuous dessert wine.
www.avignonesi.it/ ↗Cuvées
Who Is This For?
For collectors of world-class dessert wines and drinkers who seek Tuscan Sangiovese made with uncompromising biodynamic farming and old-world patience.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who owns Avignonesi today?
- Avignonesi was founded in 1974 by agronomist Ettore Falvo, who named the estate after his wife's family. In 2009, Belgian shipping-family entrepreneur and trained winemaker Virginie Saverys acquired the property and converted it fully to organic and biodynamic farming, making it Italy's largest certified biodynamic winery today.
- Where are Avignonesi's vineyards located?
- The estate is based at Fattoria Le Capezzine near Valiano di Montepulciano, between the towns of Montepulciano and Cortona in southeastern Tuscany, within the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano appellation.
- What makes Avignonesi's Vin Santo so famous?
- Their flagship Occhio di Pernice is made from 100% Prugnolo Gentile (the local Sangiovese clone), dried for months on bamboo mats and then aged over a decade in small 50-60 liter caratelli with a century-old mother yeast culture. More than half the liquid evaporates during aging, making it one of the most labor-intensive and celebrated dessert wines in the world.
- Is Avignonesi a certified organic and biodynamic producer?
- Yes. Avignonesi farms its roughly 434 acres of estate vineyards organically and biodynamically, holding organic certification since 2016 and Biodyvin biodynamic certification since 2019, in addition to B Corp certification since 2022.
- What is the difference between Avignonesi's Vino Nobile and its Vin Santo?
- Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is Avignonesi's structured, dry Sangiovese-based red wine, aged in oak for at least two years. Vin Santo (especially the Occhio di Pernice) is a sweet dessert wine made from dried grapes through an entirely separate, decade-long production process.