Giulio Caporali, Valdipiatta's owner and founder, purchased the estate in the late 1980s to pursue his dream of creating a great wine.
With a strong, innovative approach and profound respect for the land, Giulio has been able to elevate Valdipiatta to one of the top producers in the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano appellation. "It is my Shangri-La", is how Giulio describes Valdipiatta. In 2002, he turned over management of the estate and winery to his daughter Miriam. Today, he enjoys living at Valdipiatta, where he has found an ideal environment to conduct research and pursue his interests in history and literature. A passionate scholar, Giulio translated from Latin, the charter of the town Montepulciano, a manuscript fro 1337 AD. Most recently, he published an essay on the Etruscan origins of the name of Montepulciano.
Miriam Caporali is Valdipiatta's owner and general manager. A young entrepreneur and a Business Administrator graduate from the University of Rome, Miriam decided to dedicate herself to the family business after extensive experience in consulting. From 1997 to 2002, Miriam worked closely at her father's side at Valdipiatta, learning all the various aspects of winery management. She also visited Bordeaux, where she took an advanced class in wine tasting and winemaking. Sharing her father's passion for Montepulciano's terroir and its ancient winemaking tradition, she decided to dedicate herself completely to the family business, taking over its management in 2002. Today, she serves as general manager in charge of sales and public relations.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is made from the traditional blend of Prugnolo Gentile and Canaiolo Nero grapes. Reserve wines are made in the best vintage years, while a limited but highly-prized quantity of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is made from pure Sangiovese grapes harvested from the prestigious Alfiero Vineyard, planted more than half a century ago by the first Tenuta Valdipiatta cellarmaster, Alfiero Carpini.
Rosso di Montepulciano is made from more recently planted grapes of the Prugnolo Gentile, Canaiolo Nero and Mammolo varieties that will year by year be used in the Vino Nobile.
Chianti Colli Senesi is a traditional wine made of Sangiovese grapes and is produced in limited quantities.
Another typical wine from this area is Vin Santo di Montepulciano, made from semi-dried white grapes where the must is aged for at least three years in small oak barriques.