My Favorite Vineyards in Italy that I Recommend to You
Ah!
The vineyards in Italy.
There are many.
One site says there are roughly 310,000 wineries.
I’m not sure if that is 100% accurate but I wouldn’t be surprised.
There are a LOT!
In this post, I want to offer up 13 (lucky 13) of my favorite vineyards in Italy.
Most of my experience comes from the Tuscany, Piedmont, Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige regions with 1 exception.
I’ve certainly had some wines from some other regions and visited other regions.
But I want this list to be a list of vineyards I’ve visited or where I have at least visited the tasting room and had a nice array of the wines.
So grab your wine glass, check out the map below and get ready for a wine tasting adventure.
Tuscany
Félsina
Located on the border between the Chianti region and the Crete Senesi, this vineyard has been around as it is now since 1966.
Domenico Poggiali Fèlsina took a courageous step, buying the estate at a time when Italian viticulture was struggling.
He invested in the quality of the wine (over quantity) and brought in an expert team that may have been young but definitely knew what it was doing.
The business grew with the addition of people like Giuseppe Mazzocolin, Luigi Veronelli and oenologist Franco Bernabei to help bring Felsina onto the international stage.
With Domenico and his son Giuseppe Poggiali at the helm, Félsina has grown into a fabulous winery.
And, since 1990, this family team also includes Giovanni Poggiali, the oldest of Giuseppe’s three sons.
The landscape here is beautiful, covering 600 hectares.
The wines, from DOCG Chianti Classico to Cabernet Sauvignon to Chardonnay to some delightful sparkling wines, you’ll find a wine you like at Félsina.
Plus they have some delicious olive oil!
Do make a reservation for a tour and tasting which is €20.
Why I love it: Stunning countryside and kind of away from the heart of the Chianti region. Plus the wines are delicious!
Sante Marie di Vignoni
While Félsina is a larger operation, Sante Marie di Vignoni is small.
Located just outside the wee village of Bagno Vignoni in the Val d’Orcia, this vineyard in Italy is simply delightful to visit.
The vineyard was started by Alfredo Generali and is now run by his son, Franco.
The Generali family harvests just 12 hectares of grapevines as well as some olive trees.
At Sante Marie di Vignoni you’ll find wines made from Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, some of which will carry a DOC for the Orcia wine growing region.
Do make an appointment to take a tour and tasting and do know that it’s a wee road that takes you to this magical place.
This is one of my absolute favorite vineyards in Italy.
Why I love it: There is nothing like visiting a very small vineyard and seeing how things work compared to a larger winery such as Félsina. I had a wonderful tour and tasting at Sante Marie di Vignoni and send all my travel clients here.
Piedmont
Matteo Correggia
Oh Piemonte!
That’s how the Italians pronounce this region of Italy that is home to the king of wines, Barolo.
And of course, within bigger regions are smaller sub regions.
Matteo Correggia is located in what is known as the Roero wine growing region.
The wines were not as well known nor as good as the wines in other nearby regions until Matteo Correggia decided that the wines from Roero could be great.
So he set out to join with some other wine producers and they put the Roero region on the map
Since this region lies on the other side of the Tanaro River from the Barolo wine growing region, the soil is different so the wines are different.
And the wines needed to be different from the Barolo because of the different soil and growing conditions.
So Matteo Correggia worked and developed some unique wines.
And they are delicious!
Unfortunately Matteo died at a young age in 2001, but his wife, son and daughter have carried on his legacy.
This winery produces an array of wines — Barbera, Nebbiolo, Arneis and Sauvignon Blanc.
And they are all very, very good!
Why I love it: The scenery is beautiful in Roero and particularly at this vineyard. Matteo Correggia has a wonderful array of wines so I think there is something for everyone. Plus the history is a big draw.
Virna Borgogno
And there is more history with Virna Borgogno.
Virna is the first woman in Italy to complete a degree in oenology and oenological techniques.
Virna is the descendant of one of the most prestigious and famous families of the Langhe wine growing region (the other side of the Tanaro River).
She took over things around 2000 fully from her father Enrico and in 2001 Borgogno was rebranded with Virna to mark her taking over of the wine making.
And to reflect her and her sister’s (Ivana — who does the administrative/marketing side of the business) female influence of the vineyard.
I love to see the ladies in the wine world!
I took a short tour of the winemaking with Virna herself as she is a friend of Rafaella who owns Il Gioco dell’Oca Agriturismo which is just down the road.
I then tasted some of the best wines I’ve ever had in all of Italy.
Seriously.
These are amazing wines that make Virna Borgogno one of the best vineyards in Italy.
The Barolo wines are all delicious then there are some awesome Barbera, Nebbiolo and Dolcetto wines.
I also fell in love with the rosé.
Yum.
It was a revelation.
The tasting room is lovely as well!
Why I love it: First of all…let’s hear it for female winemakers! Secondly, the wines are really some of the best you’ll taste in the region. ‘Nuff said!
Lombardy
Ferghettina
Oh Franciacorta!
I learned about this wine growing region in Lombardia (Lombardy) in early 2016 as I researched off the tourist track destinations for my Location Inspiration Guide: A Journey Through Italy.
And yes, the Franciacorta wine growing region is in that guide.
Franciacorta is Italy’s answer to French Champagne.
This is not Prosecco or some other sparkling wine.
Franciacorta is made in the exact same way as French Champagne.
It’s just Italian.
And let me tell you, Franciacorta is delicious.
And Ferghettina Franciacorta is amazing.
The winery has been around since 1990 but it’s really making waves with their unique bottles.
You see, they use square bottles instead of round.
The idea is that the wine has more contact with the yeast, which then enhances the wine’s aromatic elements.
So with square bottles the wines actually have a little over twice as much contact with the yeast as a round bottle.
I’m not sure it actually makes the bubbly better, but I have to admit I am a fan of all the bubbly at Ferghettina.
It’s one of the best vineyards in Italy for sure.
Why I love it: I had an absolutely amazing tour and tasting! The tasting room/shop is beautiful. And the Franciacorta is delicious. And I do love those square bottles!
Veneto
Corte Aleardi
This was one of my first vineyard visits in the Valpolicella wine region.
And it will forever remain a favorite of mine.
For good info on the Valpolicella wine region, do check out this post.
Corte Aleardi is located in Sant’ Ambrogio di Valpolicella.
It’s a smaller winery, family run and in a lovely location.
In fact the Ferrari family has been running the vineyard since 1789.
That is a long time!
The daughter, whose name now escapes me, walked me around the vineyards and the wine making areas and guided me through the tasting.
I’ve been to Corte Aleardi twice and both times, I was bowled over by the wines.
They are superb!
I love the intimacy of this vineyard and tour/tasting.
I love the location with the hills all around.
And I adore the wines.
Corte Aleardi is one of my all time favorite vineyards in Italy.
Why I love it: The wines are seriously some of the best in the region. Plus I simply love it because of the fond memories.
Serego Alighieri
I think the best place to start with this vineyard is to go back to that first visit in 2011.
You see, Serego Alighieri was my first Valpolicella vineyard.
I was driving around on my first day and I saw the sign saying it was open.
So, I stopped in.
I tasted some very nice wines.
Many of their wines they make in cooperation with Masi and, in fact, that has grown into a larger partnership
Anyway…
A young woman, the daughter of the man who owns the winery and estate, took me on a tour of the grounds, showing me where they dry the grapes and teaching more about how they make their wines.
She told me her name was Massimilla.
A couple of days later, I was photographing the Alighieri vineyards and Massiimilla drove by and she stopped, remembering me.
She handed me her card which I took, reading her name again.
But nothing was connecting yet.
When I returned to the States, I began going through my images.
Part of this process for me is captioning and key wording each image.
I wanted to be sure of the vineyard name so I found Massimilla’s card and googled the winery name.
It was then that I realized who she was or — more accurately — who she is.
Massimilla Alighieri – a direct descendant of Dante Alighieri.
You know, the guy who wrote the Divine Comedy, the man who basically founded the Italian language.
To this day I feel pretty stupid about that whole experience.
So for me, not only are the wines “divine” but so is the family behind the wines.
And Serego Alighieri will forever be one of my favorite vineyards in Italy.
How can it not be?
Why I love it: Well, you never forget your first and Serego Alighieri was my first winery in Valpolicella. And I love the connection to Dante!
Ugolini
This is one of the more recent vineyards I visited in 2019.
I had 1 quick night in the Valpolicella wine region and I booked a tour and tasting at this family run vineyard.
Uglioni is a slightly newer vineyard in that the Ugolini family has just had the land for 3 generations.
It is the 3rd generation – 4 brothers — that now run the vineyard.
And they were all raised in that beautiful valley of Fumane.
Fumane is where I stayed on my first fateful visit to Valpolicella.
But I didn’t visit Uglioni on that first visit.
However, on this 3rd visit to the region, I found Uglioni and was definitely impressed with all of it.
It quickly jumped on my list of favorite vineyards in Italy.
The tour is fabulous — in-depth and educational.
The tasting at their castle-like building, called Villa San Michele, is superb.
We had to move indoors due to rainy/stormy weather, but the indoors is just as stunning as the outside.
The wines are delicious and the atmosphere is really first rate.
If you have a small group, Uglioni would definitely be an excellent winery for your group to do a tasting.
Why I love it: The wines are definitely splendid. But the location and the villa with its terrace and gorgeous rooms for tasting put the cherry on top.
Brunelli
I’m going to give this a brief mention as I only visited the tasting room at Brunelli.
The tasting room is really beautiful and the wines at Brunelli are top notch.
But you can do a tour and tasting if you book in advance.
I believe I just stopped in as you can do this just for a tasting which is a nice option if you find yourself with some extra time.
Next time, I’d love to do a full tour and tasting.
The wines really are some of the best of the region.
The guy who poured my wine was a wealth of information, talking me through the wines.
So I definitely appreciated his knowledge and his attentiveness.
Why I love it: The gorgeous tasting room and the excellent wines are the best reason to visit.
Rubinelli Vajol
Otherwise known as one the most difficult vineyards to find, Rubinelli Vajol is a delight to visit.
Yes, you have to be aware that there is a wee road — that doesn’t look like the road you are supposed to take — you need to take off of a traffic circle (roundabout).
But once you get on that road, you are led back into a lovely valley and Rubinelli Vajol.
I had a wonderful tour and tasting and was quite smitten with the Recioto which is the dessert wine of the Valpolicella.
And not only is there a delicious dessert wine, but there is a wonderful portfolio of Valpolicella wines — from Classico to Amarone.
This is another winery with some interesting family history as well.
Why I love it: I love that it is tucked away in this sun-filled valley. And I really do love their Recioto! Delicious!
Le Bignele
On my most recent visit to Valpolicella in 2021 I made my way to Marano di Valpolicella which is a whole other part of the Valpolicella that I had not been to before.
And I promptly fell in love with this area.
I can’t wait to go back to it!
Anyway…
Le Bignele quickly popped onto my list of favorite vineyards in Italy because of so many reasons.
First of all, the location is stunning.
Secondly, the tour was fabulous.
And lastly the wines were amazing!
Seriously, the wines are awesome.
And the family has been around, making wine, since 1818.
So we’re talking 2 centuries.
And it’s a small vineyard at just 9 hectares.
The whole family is involved so it is 100% a family run business.
Why I love it: I love the location, the wines, the small size and the fact that it is very much a family affair.
Trentino-Alto Adige
Castelfeder
One of my favorite vineyards in Italy was one I was familiar with before I visited.
I had tasted some of the wine from Castelfeder back in Ohio.
So when I was in Alto Adige in 2019 I knew I wanted to make a visit to this family run vineyard.
The wine I had tasted back home was very good.
But I knew I would have the opportunity to taste more wines that didn’t get exported to Ohio.
So I made a visit and had an amazing tour and tasting with Ines, the daughter.
Ines is so enthusiastic and passionate about the vineyards and the wines.
We hit it off immediately.
The Castelfeder wines are some of the tastiest in the region.
I definitely have my favorites, but all of them are superb.
They make excellent white wines such as Pinot Bianco and Kerner (my 2 favorites) and red wines such as Schiava, Pinot Nero and Lagrein.
Read this post to find out more about the wines of Alto Adige.
I highly recommend a visit to this vineyard in the southern reaches of Alto Adige.
Why I love it: Ines is a wonderful guide through your tasting for sure. And the variety of wines, at different price points, is a bonus of Castelfeder. I love that variety because I found a few wines that I absolutely fell in love with.
Peter Sölva
Located in the Caldaro/Kaltern area of Alto Adige, this is another recent winery that jumped onto my best vineyards in Italy list.
I was fortunate to visit in September 2021 and was completely blown away.
First of all, this is a vineyard that has been around since 1731.
That’s almost 3 decades and 10 generations.
Wow!
The wines are fantastic as well.
I love the Pinot Bianco and the Lagrein.
But I think the 2 best things about this vineyard in Italy are Stephan Sölva — the current owner and 10th generation of the Sölva family — and how they do the tastings.
The 2 above make this one of my favorite wine tours in Italy.
Stephan is just about the most passionate winemaker/owner I’ve ever met.
The man oozes personality.
I was fortunate to have him as my tour guide and tasting guide.
The tastings at Peter Sölva are done differently.
Here you do blind tastings.
This way you aren’t influenced by a label, a grape or anything else that may affect what you like.
You just taste.
You pick up on notes and flavors.
Then you decide what you like.
And what you like may surprise you.
This blind tasting is a great way to truly taste the wines.
Why I love it: The blind tasting is, in my opinion, the best way to taste and compare wines without any prejudice. Stephan is the best. And, let’s face it, all that history is pretty cool too!
So there you have my favorite vineyards in Italy
I’d like to note a couple of honorable mentions.
The first one is from the Valpolicella wine region: Buglioni.
I love the Buglioni wines.
I’ve just never visited the winery.
On the other hand, I’ve stayed at the Agrirelais and eaten at the Locanda.
So I’ve had quite a few different wines.
Their bubbly is delightful.
I just can’t speak to the tour and tasting at the vineyard.
But the wines are fab!
The second honorable mention is Kurtatsch which is more of a cooperative.
This is located in Alto Adige.
And I was quite impressed with the wines.
You can read more about it in this post.
But the wines are wonderful.
I highly recommend all of these vineyards for visit.
Of course, there are more.
And I’m sure I’ll be doing more research in the coming years so I anticipate this list will grow.
Do you have a favorite vineyard in Italy?
I’d love to hear about it.
Drop it in the comments below.
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