Azienda Agricola Vallepicciola — Attraction in Castelnuovo Berardenga

On Saturday, August 16, I booked a wine tasting at Vallepicciola with two friends — one of whom is currently writing her thesis for a Master’s in Oenology at Bordeaux University and interning at Montegiove in Umbria. Our host, Marta Cortini, ensured the experience began on an exceptional note. She introduced herself, with characteristic candour, as an ardent enthusiast of wine. Having been raised in the very heart of the Chianti region, it was immediately clear that wine is not merely a passion for Marta — it is an essential strand in her DNA. We felt an instant connection. Marta’s depth of knowledge, paired with her sparkling sense of humour and irrepressible enthusiasm, made for a truly memorable morning. She regaled us with vivid anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories from some of Chianti’s most notable wineries, each laced with her acerbic wit. Recognizing in us kindred spirits — fervent champions of the mystical science of oenology — Marta was adamant that we taste virtually everything the winery produced, including their olive oil and, to our surprise, champagne (yes, champagne from Chianti!). This P. Vallée champagne, fully registered with the Comité Champagne since 2022, was an unexpected and delightful revelation. Marta went above and beyond. Her humour and infectious passion were nothing short of irresistible. For me, this was the most enjoyable wine tasting I have ever experienced, and I am deeply grateful. A heartfelt thank you to Vallepicciola — and especially to Marta Cortini — for elevating the day to something truly...

This was one of the finest experiences we ever had. We took the tour of 35 euros as a more simple one, yet we made the best decision ever. Although we were a bit late, the staff was so pleasant and polite with us and helped us find our tour. Our tour guide Margo was amazing, so pleasant to hear all her stories and loved the way she showed her passion for the wine through the stories and the way she walked us through the whole process. The thing that was most impressing was her way of finding out what type of wine was our favorite and what was the favourite type of wine for the couple we shared the tour with. This was winning thing for us as her last gesture at the end of the wine testing was bringing us their best Pinot Noir wine as our fav wine choice and bringing Merlot to the other couple that loved Merlot.

From the amazing wines (either Chardonnay, Chianti or Pinot Noir) to the best homemade 15 years old Balsamic vinegar, to the most amazing and spicy extra virgin olive oil... Everything was like a storyline written by the best author.

This wine tasting has been our best decision! Totally...

I visited this winery as part of a wine tour and the wine and the food were incredible. As part of the tour, I was able to sample 6 different wines which I actually got to pick out myself. The staff helped recommend some to try as well. All of the wines were delicious and had their own unique flavors and the staff was so helpful in explaining each one.

I also got a board with different meats, cheeses, spreads, and breads to try, which was incredible. Their homemade jam and honey were so strong and flavorful. The view is amazing and it was such a lovely space to enjoy...