Vallepicciola, Tuscany, Italy
Vallepicciola’s winery hotel sits side by side with the old vines and is named after this prized vineyard: Hotel Fontanelle.
Vallepicciola, Tuscany, Italy
The Vallepicciola estate is nestled among the rolling hills of Chianti Classico, in Pievasciata, in the commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga, a short drive from Siena. Its 107-hectare vineyard estate comprises plantings of Sangiovese, Pinot Nero, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay.
The estate is represented by a tapestry of vineyard blocks, each with its own unique combination of soil type, clone, rootstock, elevation and exposure, resulting in wines of charm and complexity.
Vallepicciola’s prize vineyard is named Fontanelle and originates from a massal selection of Sangiovese planted some 52 years ago with the aim of making a great Sangiovese wine. The 4 hectares of Sangiovese are planted to an optimum south-east exposure and represent Vallepicciola’s prime heritage single vineyard.
“This unique planting of Sangiovese is one of the best expressions of Sangiovese that I have come across. We use the grapes to produce our premium single vineyard label, Vallepicciola Rosso IGT Sangiovese.” says Alessandro Cellai, CEO and head winemaker of Vallepicciola.
The spurred cordon vineyard is planted to a density of 5,000 plants per hectare on limestone and clay soils with a good presence of galestro and alberese. The perfect ingredients and combination for Sangiovese.
“I fell in love with this vineyard when I took over the running of Vallepicciola in 2018,” says Cellai. “It represents a noble expression of Sangiovese and represents our most resilient vines and those that react best to climate change. It is our champion vineyard for storytelling.”
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