Valdipiatta Winery - My Guided Wine Tasting and Tour In Montepulciano

Last updated on July 22nd, 2024

If you are coming to Southern Tuscany and wondering what are the best Montepulciano wineries to visit then I have the winery for you!

I have been living here for over 12 years now and after countless wine tours and experiences in Montepulciano and in the surrounding Tuscan countryside, there are only a few that have stuck out and remained a part of my daily recommendations and repeated experiences. Valdipiatta winery in Montepulciano is one of them.

In this article, I will guide you through my experience at Valdipiatta winery, providing you with all the practical information needed to know about what they offer, how to book, who it’s best for, and what to expect during your visit.

After reading this article you will feel confident in pre booking your wine experience at Valdipiatta winery in Montepulciano no matter your agenda or level of expertise! Let’s dive in.

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How To Pronounce Valdipiatta

Valdipiatta is pronounced vahl-dee-pee-aht-tah in Italian

Listen to the pronunciation of Valdipiatta:

Where Is Valdipiatta Winery?

The Valdipiatta winery is located in Southern Tuscany about 4 km Northeast of Montepulciano, just below the base of the village.

How To Book With Valdipiatta

The best way to book your wine tasting, tour or experience with Valdipiatta is through their automated online booking platform on their website.

I can attest that the platform is very simple to use with several different experiences for any kind of visitor including newbies, professionals and wine connoisseurs.

Why You Should Visit Valdipiatta

Over the course of my 15 years living in Tuscany I have visited more than my fair share of wineries in Italy. Valdipiatta stood out to me and here is why:

Extremely easy to arrive to and close to center of Montepulciano
User friendly booking system online
A variety of wine experiences, tours and tastings
Unique custom tailored tours for various needs, agendas and requests
Intimate, private experience with guided wine tasting
Kid-friendly
Walk-ins welcome
Family run and managed
Organic and sustainable winemaking practices

Who Is Valdipiatta Best For

Wine bottles on their sides are stacked on shelves at Valdipiatta Winery in Montepulciano, Italy.

Valdipiatta wine tours and experiences are honestly good for anyone because of their wide array of experiences available for pre-booking.

They offer seven different wine tour tasting and tour experiences at the winery, all of which are pre-planned to fit any special needs and requests.

If you are someone who is new to wine and looking to learn more, Valdipiatta is my top pick for places to start because they will guide you through your wine tasting (instead of serving and leaving you to taste on your own).

For more experienced wine drinkers, Valdipiatta has developed more in-depth and focused wine tours and tastings, providing the opportunity to really learn how specific factors such as time, weather, harvest, aging and processing of a vintage can affect a single wine.

When To Visit Valdipiatta

Valdipiatta is open year round. They are closed on the weekends and holidays so be sure to consider this when pre-planning your vacation to Tuscany.

The best time to visit the winery is in early September before the harvest when the grapes are ready and you can go and taste the grapes from the wines or in the spring when it’s not too hot out.

June, July and August are their busiest months.

How To Get To Valdipiatta Winery

To arrive at Valdipiatta winery in Montepulciano you will need a rental car. From the center of Montepulciano, head North on SP17 for about 3 km at which point you will take a right and follow the road (and well marked signs) for Valdipiatta winery.

Good To Know: Looking for some good food on the go in Montepulciano before or after your visit? Read Best Takeout Lunch Spots in Montepulciano.

You can also speak directly with Valdipiatta about hiring a private driver for those of you who don’t drive or who don’t want to worry about driving after a wine tasting.

Parking At Valdipiatta

Upon arrival, park in the large lot directly in front of the main yellow office building.

Wines At Valdipiatta Winery

Two bottles of red wine sit on a wooden table with wine glass and bottle opener at Valdipiatta Winery in Montepulciano, Italy.

All the wines at Valdipiatta are certified organic. Below is a quick rundown of some wines that may be available for purchase and tasting at the winery depending on the year.

Nibbiano White IGT
Tosca Rosé IGT
Chianti Colli Senesi
Rosso di Montepulciano
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Vigna d’Alfiero Vino Nobile Single vineyard
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva
Pinot Noir IGT

Fact: Valdipiatta is the only Montepulciano winery that makes a pinot noir (about 1,500 bottles per year).

Dessert Wines And Digestifs

Valdipiatta also makes their own line of dessert wine and grappa:

Vin Santo di Montepulciano DOC
Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice DOC
Grappa da Vinaccia di Vino Nobile

Nice To Know: Valdipiatta has three hectares of olives groves used to make organic extra virgin olive oil which you can taste and buy during your tour.

Valdipiatta Estate And Winery Tour

Inside brick cantina with huge wooden wine barrels at Valdipiatta Winery in Montepulciano, Italy.

Six of the seven wine experiences at Valdipiatta include estate tours of the wine cellar.

If the season permits, visitors are guided into the vineyards to taste the grapes growing on the wines.

During the winery tour you will learn all about the family, history and process of making organic wines at Valdipiatta. Visiting the cellar will open your eyes into precisely how the wines are crafted and what differentiates each wine from another.

You may also visit the amazing collectionist room housing their oldest wines from 1973, some of which are available for purchase.

Valdipiatta Wine Tasting

Two wine glasses have small amounts of red wine. They're on a table at a wine tasting at Valdipiatta Winery in Montepulciano, Italy.

What sets Valdipiatta wine tasting apart is their guided experience. No matter what tasting and tour you choose you will be guided through their tastings by either the owner Miriam, her husband Giuliano or their executive wine sommelier.

Below I have categorized and detailed each tour and tasting at Valdipiatta to help you choose the right experience for you based on your understanding and love for wines.

Experience	Length	Includes	Price*
Guided Wine Tasting 5 Wines (no tour)	20-30 minutes	5 wines, fettunta with extra virgin olive oil	€14.00 per person
Classic Tour And Tasting	45 minutes -1 hour	Wine cellar and estate tour with a tasting of four wines	€22.00 per person
Flavors of Tuscany	1 hour	Wine cellar and estate tour with tasting of four wines paired with local pecorino cheese, cured meats, bread and extra virgin olive oil	€32.00 per person
Old Vintages Tasting	1-1 ½ hours	Wine cellar and estate tour focusing on DOC and DOCG regulations and wine production with tasting of the winery’s finest vintages. Guests will learn how to analyze and appreciate the finite details of each, paired with local cheeses, extra virgin olive oil and bread.	€46.00 per person
Valdipiatta Experience – The Appellations (from May through October)	1 ½ hours	Guided estate and wine cellar tour with complete tasting including all of Tenuta Valdipiattas wines (total of 8 wines) paired with aged pecorino cheese, extra virgin olive oil and bread	€58.00 per person
Wine Tasting from Barrel and Barrique	1 ½ – 2 hours	Exclusive wine cellar tour and wine tasting in the historical cellar carved out of the tufa, where the most prestigious wines are aged. Guests will continue onto a second tasting with four of Valdipiatta’s finest wines paired with pecorino cheese, extra virgin olive oil and bread.	€80.00 per person
Private Wine Making Class	2 hours	A private wine making tour starting in the vineyard and finishing in the aging room where guests will learn the ins and outs of the wine making process, including the opportunity to taste wine directly from the barrels. The visit is closed with a formal tasting of a selection of wines paired with cheese, extra virgin olive oil and bread.	€95.00 per person

*Prices are subject to change

Fit In: Learn How to Toast in Italian!

History Of Valdipiatta

Lights illuminate the dark brick cellar and huge wine barrels at Valdipiatta Winery in Montepulciano, Italy.

Valdipiatta is a winery in Montepulciano founded in the 1970s but has been run by the Caporali family since the 1980’s.

The name Valdipiatta is a reference to its geographical location within the flat (piatta) valley (valle) under the town of Montepulciano.

Valdipiatta has always held sustainable practices close to them, implementing vast biodiversity on the estate including various types of trees, plants and bee hives they tend to.

How Valdipiatta Wine Is Made

The Vineyards

The estate is divided into three main plots from which the Vino Nobile is made. The rest of the 30 hectare estate is dedicated to small plots used to grow grape varieties other than sangiovese and olive trees.

The Grape Harvest (The Vendemmia)

The grape harvest takes place in September in a matter of 10 working days.

The Fermentation And Aging Of Valdipiatta Wines

The winemaking process of each wine looks slightly different.

The grapes are first processed and then aged in wood barrels for a various amount of time before being aged for other allotted times in steel and then bottles.

Distribution and Selling

Good To Know: If you can’t manage to book a visit with Valdipiatta or pass by to purchase wine, many of the wine bars or enoteche in Montepulciano sell their wines. You can easily tack it onto the end of any itinerary as long as you organize it in advance!

60% of Valdipiatta wines are sold abroad (including USA) while 40% remains in Italy and can be purchased primarily from restaurants, wine bars and small stores.