An Evening with Bindella
Tonight, Bindella Tenuta Vallocaia comes to Podere Spedalone to share six wines that tell the story of Montepulciano — a territory of ancient clay soils, high-altitude vineyards and three generations of organic viticulture. Four wines are offered to you as a gift during the aperitivo. The remaining selection is available for dinner and to take home, with worldwide shipping from Podere Spedalone.
Aperitivo Tasting
The Luna a Vallocaia is Bindella's first-ever white wine — a bold step for an estate built on the great red varieties of Montepulciano. Made from 100% Grechetto grown on the estate's high-altitude Vallocaia vineyards, the 2024 vintage is the inaugural release, and one of the first critics to encounter it awarded it 92 points. A genuine discovery — and a world exclusive for tonight's guests.
Pale gold with green reflections. A fragrant, precise nose of green apple, chamomile, citrus blossom, white pear and star fruit — with a lively mineral thread from the high-altitude clay and sand soils. Fresh and crisp on the palate with well-balanced acidity, medium body and a clean, mineral finish of some length. An extraordinary debut vintage.
Pasta al burro e tartufo bianco · Pecorino fresco di Pienza · Risotto with seasonal vegetables · Grilled sea bream · Baccalà in bianco
Grilled turbot · Roast chicken · Prawn and avocado salad · Asparagus tarts · Mild goat's cheese · Light summer pasta with lemon
The Gemella — meaning "twin" — is Bindella's celebrated Sangiovese rosato, unified with the Fossolupaio in the winery's portfolio as the rosé counterpart to its red counterpart. Produced from 100% Sangiovese grown at altitude on the Vallocaia and Fossolupaio vineyards, the 2025 is a wine of joyful fruit, vivid colour and remarkable sapidity. Ten thousand bottles are produced each year — each one a celebration of this extraordinary variety vinified as rosé.
Vivid pale salmon. An exuberant and instantly seductive nose of white peach, wild strawberry, fresh raspberry, cherry and fleeting rose blossom. The palate is voluminous and enveloping — a generous, round mid-palate of red fruit yields to a crisp, savoury finish driven by the Sangiovese's characteristic acidity. "Di facile e appagante beva" — easy and deeply satisfying from start to finish. Serve well-chilled.
Prosciutto e melone · Pici al pomodoro fresco · Light pasta dishes · Baccalà alla livornese · Pecorino fresco · Vegetable antipasti
Grilled tiger prawns · Sea bass ceviche · Roast salmon · Chicken tagine · Summer salads · Niçoise · Rillettes · Mild charcuterie · Goat's cheese
Named after the Fossolupaio vineyard — one of Bindella's four estates in the Argiano and Paterno areas of Montepulciano — this is the lighter, more immediate red of tonight's selection. A classic Rosso di Montepulciano DOC built from 85% Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile), it is the wine for drinking young and with pleasure: vivacious, food-friendly, and expressive of the Montepulciano territory in its most joyful form.
Bright ruby with violet highlights. Fresh and direct on the nose — sour cherry, ripe plum, wild strawberry, violet and a whisper of spice. The palate is energetic and crisp: bright Sangiovese acidity lifts clean red fruit, with soft, present tannins and a clean, lingering finish with a characteristic bitter-herbal note. A wine for the table, built for food.
Pici all'aglione · Pasta al ragù · Roast pork · Grilled sausages · Porchetta · Pecorino di Pienza fresco
Pizza · Pasta with simple meat sauces · Grilled chicken · Lamb chops · Burgers · Mild cured meats · Everyday Italian table
Ardore — meaning "ardour," "passion," "burning intensity" — is Bindella's most international red: a Bordeaux-inspired blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon vinified with 12–16 months in French oak. It speaks in a different dialect from the Sangiovese-dominated wines of Montepulciano — richer, denser, more velvety — and represents the estate's exploration of the Vallocaia terroir's capacity for international varieties grown at altitude in this remarkable microclimate.
Intense ruby with deep violet-purple hues. A rich and complex nose of ripe blackberries, Marasca cherry, dark plum, balsamic notes, cedarwood and a subtle layer of spice from the French oak. Full-bodied on the palate with dense, ripe tannins and a generous, velvety texture. The finish is long, warm and structured — a wine that pairs beautifully with the most important dishes of the evening.
Bistecca alla Fiorentina · Pappardelle al cinghiale · Braised beef shin · Grilled lamb · Aged Pecorino di Pienza
Rack of lamb · Slow-roasted duck · Beef short ribs · Grilled tuna steak · Truffle pasta · Aged hard cheeses
Dinner Selection
The Vino Nobile is the heart of Bindella's production — the wine for which the estate was created and around which everything else revolves. A DOCG of the highest standing, it is made primarily from Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile, the local clone) and aged according to the Consorzio's strict regulations: a minimum of 24 months in oak followed by a further period in bottle. It is a wine of classical structure and deep territorial character — the taste of Montepulciano in a single glass.
Deep ruby with garnet highlights. The classic Prugnolo Gentile nose is expressive and complex — violet, dried rose, ripe cherry, pomegranate, dried herbs and elegant spice. On the palate the wine is medium-full and beautifully balanced, with well-integrated tannins, crisp acidity and a long, mineral finish with a distinctive bitter-almond note typical of the appellation. The 2022 vintage produced wines of notable elegance and fine aging potential.
Bistecca alla Fiorentina · Pappardelle al cinghiale · Braised beef · Roast pork · Aged Pecorino di Pienza stagionato
Roast leg of lamb · Grilled duck breast · Venison ragù · Wild mushroom risotto · Black truffle pasta · Hard aged cheeses
I Quadri is Bindella's crown jewel and one of the most acclaimed wines in the entire Montepulciano appellation. A single-vineyard cru from the Santa Maria parcel — the finest site on the estate — it is produced only from 100% Sangiovese in the very best vintages. The name refers to the perfectly ordered rows of old vines planted across the hillside, which from a distance resemble a grid of paintings. This is a wine for rare occasions and long cellaring.
Dense, deep ruby-garnet with extraordinary depth of colour. An expansive, complex nose of small ripe plum, Marasca cherry, dried violet, licorice, espresso, tobacco and fine cedar — with a mineral depth that speaks directly of the Santa Maria terroir. On the palate the wine is full and enveloping, with a seamlessly layered tannic structure and a finish of remarkable length and persistence. Dense, structured and built for decades of cellaring.
Bistecca alla Fiorentina di Chianina · Slow-braised beef · Pappardelle al tartufo nero · Aged Pecorino di Pienza Riserva — a wine for the most important moments at the table
Prime rib · Whole roast rack of lamb · Beef fillet with black truffle · Pigeon or squab · Grilled lobster · Parmigiano Reggiano 36 months — open 2 hours ahead, drink 2027–2040
About Bindella
Tenuta Vallocaia
The Bindella family brought something rare to Montepulciano when they arrived from Switzerland in 1983: more than half a century of viticultural experience, an uncompromising commitment to quality, and a profound love for Tuscany that had no intention of being transitory. The estate they created at Vallocaia — on the sun-drenched hills above Montepulciano at altitudes between 275 and 415 metres — would go on to become one of the appellation's most respected names.
Four vineyard estates span the Argiano and Paterno areas of the Montepulciano territory: Vallocaia, Fossolupaio, Paterno and Santa Maria. Each has its own character — different soils, different exposures, different microclimate — and each contributes something distinct to the wines. The estate's planted varieties are dominated by Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile, the local clone) but also include Canaiolo, Colorino, Mammolo and, at Vallocaia, the international varieties Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon that give life to the Ardore.
Farming is certified organic across all four estates — a commitment that reflects the family's long-standing belief that the best wines begin in the vineyard, where the land must be respected rather than forced. Harvesting is done entirely by hand. Every wine is an attempt to express, as honestly as possible, what this extraordinary hilltop territory above Montepulciano has to say.
Tonight, a representative of Bindella has come to Podere Spedalone to share these wines directly with you — to answer your questions, tell these stories in person, and perhaps accompany you through dinner. It is a privilege for us to host them, and we hope it will be a pleasure for you to meet them.
Shipping & Orders
All six Bindella wines featured tonight are available for purchase and worldwide shipping, handled entirely by Podere Spedalone. There is no minimum order. Mixed shipments of wine and our own olive oil from the estate are possible at the same rates. Simply speak to your host to place an order tonight — or contact us at any time after the event.
Professional polystyrene packaging is included. Transit times vary by destination — typically 2–3 days within Italy, 4–5 days within Europe, and 14–20 days for the USA, Canada and Asia/Pacific. Customs duties vary by destination country; please ask your host for details on your specific destination.