Following its recent recognition as “Best Winery 2026” by Le Guide de L’Espresso, Vallepicciola – based in Castelnuovo Berardenga – returns to South Tyrol to present four labels, each awarded the prestigious The WineHunter Award.
October 30, 2025 (Siena, Italy) — Vallepicciola, a premier winery in the heart of Chianti Classico, will take part in the 34th edition of the Merano WineFestival celebrating the excellence of Sangiovese.
Having recently been named “Best Winery 2026” by Le Guide de L’Espresso—for its ability to enhance “the priceless territory of Castelnuovo Berardenga, between Chianti Classico and international varieties”—the Siena-based estate will be present from November 8 to 10 within the Wine Italia section, among the 300 wineries selected by the committees of The WineHunter Award. In the prestigious setting of the Kurhaus in Merano – Gallery B, Desk 128 – Vallepicciola will offer tastings of four pure Sangiovese labels, all winners of The WineHunter Award: Chianti Classico 2023, Chianti Classico Riserva 2021, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto Lapina 2021, and Vallepicciola Rosso Toscana IGT 2022, the flagship of the Grandi Cru line. An achievement that also acknowledges the winemaking vision of Alessandro Cellai, General Manager and Winemaker, who has long been dedicated to enhancing the potential of Sangiovese, with style and consistency, in one of the most distinctive areas of Chianti Classico.
«Vallepicciola is delighted to take part in the 2025 Merano WineFestival, where we will showcase our entire Chianti Classico range as well as our IGT Vallepicciola Rosso. These are four 100% Sangiovese wines, a true expression and the very soul of our territory»,says CEO Alberto Colombo. «A special mention goes to the Vallepicciola Rosso, a wine that embodies the union of history and modernity, where ancient techniques such as the use of concrete are combined with a contemporary production sensibility».
The four selected wines reflect Vallepicciola’s deep winemaking vocation and its ability to express Sangiovese through the unique characteristics of each vineyard plot and different vinification approaches. The grapes come from vineyards situated between 380 and 450 meters above sea level on the western slopes of Castelnuovo Berardenga, within the Vagliagli Additional Geographic Unit, an area distinguished by its complex soils of limestone, galestro, clay and alberese.
Here, Sangiovese finds the perfect conditions to reveal freshness, elegance, and aromatic depth, enhanced by winemaking practices that focus on the identity of each cru and carefully tailored aging processes, capable of highlighting the wine’s distinctive personality.
Three of the four wines on tasting have received The WineHunter Award GOLD: the Chianti Classico 2023, a fresh and fragrant Sangiovese with a light ruby colour and aromas of redcurrant, plum and violet, complemented by a pleasant hint of black pepper; the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto Lapina 2021, from a single high-altitude vineyard where Sangiovese reaches its finest expression, with notes of red and black jammy fruits, dried flowers and elegant balsamic and spicy accents; and the Vallepicciola Rosso 2022, IGT Toscana, from the Fontanelle vineyard at 450 meters above sea level, representing the most contemporary expression of the Sangiovese, the foundational grape of Chianti Classico, with a notable ageing potential.
Completing the selection, the Chianti Classico Riserva 2021, awarded The WineHunter Award ROSSO, combines freshness and structure with notes of flowers, ripe fruits and a refined touch of black pepper and cherry jam.
Vallepicciola’s participation in the Merano WineFestival represents yet another opportunity to convey, through Sangiovese, the balance of tradition, innovation, and beauty that defines the identity of Fontanelle Estate: the Bolfo family project that brings together the winery with two 5-star hotels – Hotel Le Fontanelle and The Club House – and an exceptional culinary offering including the restaurants La Colonna, Il Tuscanico, and Il Visibilio (one Michelin star).
