Vallepicciola
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Contemporary architecture fused with Chianti Classico terroir, near Siena.
Located in the Val di Picciola valley near Pievasciata, in the Castelnuovo Berardenga commune of the Chianti Classico region, Vallepicciola was founded in 1999 when the Bolfo family restored the ruins of a 17th-century monastery on the property (today the five-star Hotel Le Fontanelle). The estate spans roughly 265 hectares, including 107-109 hectares of vineyards planted to Sangiovese, Pinot Nero, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Chardonnay, alongside over 4,000 olive trees and centuries-old woodland. Its striking contemporary cellar, designed by architect Margherita Gozzi and completed in 2016-2020, is built largely underground across three levels to minimize its visual and environmental impact while blending organically with the Tuscan landscape. The estate holds VIVA sustainability certification and produces wines under the guidance of winemaker Alessandro Cellai, mentored by the legendary enologist Giacomo Tachis. Its Chianti Classico 2021 ranked 37th in Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2024, and the Gran Selezione 'Lapina' has been praised by critics including James Suckling and Gambero Rosso.
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Who Is This For?
For wine lovers drawn to modern design and precision winemaking who still want an authentic, terroir-driven expression of Sangiovese and Chianti Classico.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where is Vallepicciola located?
- Vallepicciola is located in the Val di Picciola valley near Pievasciata, in the Castelnuovo Berardenga commune, about 15 km from Siena in the heart of the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany.
- When was Vallepicciola founded and by whom?
- The estate was founded in 1999 when the Bolfo family (Bruno and Giuseppina) restored a 17th-century monastery on the property; the winery's contemporary cellar opened in the following years, designed by architect Margherita Gozzi.
- What grape varieties are grown at the estate?
- The 107+ hectares of vineyards are planted mainly to Sangiovese, alongside Pinot Nero, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Chardonnay.
- What is distinctive about Vallepicciola's architecture?
- The cellar is built mostly underground across three levels to minimize its environmental footprint, an organic-architecture approach designed to blend the winery into the surrounding Tuscan hills rather than dominate them.
- Has Vallepicciola received major critical recognition?
- Yes. Its Chianti Classico 2021 was ranked 37th in Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of 2024, and the Gran Selezione 'Lapina' has scored highly with James Suckling and won Gambero Rosso's Tre Bicchieri.