Fontanelle Estate Expands Its Chianti Profile With a Three-Property Luxury Wine Tourism Model

Fontanelle Estate, a hospitality and wine brand in Castelnuovo Berardenga in the Chianti Classico area of Tuscany, is expanding its profile as a destination built around lodging, food and wine tourism, as Italy’s luxury travel market continues to lean on place-based experiences rather than traditional displays of opulence.

The brand brings together three properties under one identity: Hotel Le Fontanelle, a five-star hotel marking its 20th anniversary this year; The Club House, a five-star adults-only retreat opened in 2022; and Vallepicciola, the winery that anchors the group’s wine program. All three are tied to the Bolfo family, which has positioned the estate as an integrated offering for travelers seeking a deeper connection to Chianti Classico through accommodations, tastings, dining and wellness.

The estate is located in the hills around Castelnuovo Berardenga, in the province of Siena, where vineyards, woods and rural roads define much of the landscape. In recent years, this part of Tuscany has remained one of Italy’s strongest draws for international wine tourism, especially among travelers looking for smaller-scale stays linked to local food culture and vineyard visits.

Hotel Le Fontanelle was created through the restoration of a historic rural hamlet. The property has 36 rooms and suites and keeps many features associated with traditional Tuscan architecture, including terracotta floors and exposed wooden beams. The estate also includes Villa Il Mandorlo, a country house that can be booked as a private residence or used as an extension of the hotel.

The Club House, which opened four years ago after the restoration of a Tuscan farmhouse, was designed as a more secluded option. It has 15 rooms and suites and focuses on privacy and personalized service. The property includes more than 400 square meters of wellness space aimed at spa and relaxation programs, reflecting the growing role of wellness in high-end travel across Italy’s wine regions.

Across the two lodging properties, Fontanelle Estate offers activities that follow a now familiar model in European wine tourism but with a strong local emphasis. Guests can book winery visits, cooking classes and countryside excursions by Vespa or Ferrari. Hot-air balloon rides over the Chianti hills are also part of the experience portfolio. The strategy is to keep visitors on site longer by linking overnight stays with curated activities tied to the surrounding territory.

Food is central to that approach. The culinary program across the estate is led by Executive Chef Francesco Ferrettini, who oversees several dining venues with different formats but a shared focus on Tuscan cuisine. At The Club House, Il Visibìlio holds a Michelin star and serves as the flagship restaurant. The menu there is presented as a contemporary interpretation of local cooking shaped by regional ingredients and fine-dining technique.

At Hotel Le Fontanelle, La Colonna offers a more traditional restaurant setting with an updated Tuscan menu. Also at The Club House, Osteria Il Tuscanico is positioned around regional dishes in a more informal style. Aperitivo lounges and terrace spaces complete the food-and-beverage offering and are intended to extend the guest experience beyond formal meals.

Wine remains the core element connecting the estate’s hospitality operations. Vallepicciola is surrounded by vineyards, olive groves, woodland and a lake, and serves both as a production site and as a visitor attraction. The winery was designed by architect Margherita Gozzi with a contemporary structure intended to fit into the surrounding countryside rather than dominate it.

Through guided tours and tastings, visitors are introduced to Vallepicciola’s portfolio of 17 labels. According to the company, those wines are exported to more than 25 countries. Their presence across the estate’s restaurants and lounges allows Fontanelle Estate to present wine not only as an agricultural product but also as part of a broader hospitality narrative centered on Chianti Classico.

The launch and consolidation of brands like Fontanelle Estate reflect wider changes in Italian tourism, where operators increasingly combine hotels, wineries and restaurants into unified destination concepts. In Tuscany in particular, producers and hoteliers have been investing in experiences that encourage travelers to spend more time within one estate or region rather than using it only as a base for day trips.

That model has become especially important in areas such as Chianti Classico, where competition among luxury properties is strong and where differentiation often depends on access to vineyards, culinary identity and direct ties to local culture. By combining two high-end lodging options with an active winery and multiple dining formats, Fontanelle Estate is aiming to capture travelers interested in wine education, gastronomy and slower forms of tourism rooted in landscape and tradition.

For Chianti Classico, where wine remains both an economic driver and an international symbol of place, projects like this also show how hospitality has become part of the region’s commercial strategy. Estates are no longer selling only bottles or rooms. They are selling immersion in a territory, with wine serving as both product and point of entry.