Podere Sapaio was founded in 1999 by Massimo Piccin in the Bolgheri area of Castagneto Carducci, in the province of Livorno. It is a younger estate than the historic names, with vineyards planted where the zone's soils shift between sand, clay and stones.
The wines
Sapaio is the flagship Bolgheri Superiore, a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend with Merlot and Petit Verdot. Volpolo is the more accessible red, and the estate has increasingly worked organically. The wines tend to be dense and structured, in the style that made Bolgheri famous, but with a freshness that comes from the coastal nights.
Visiting
Visits are by appointment and arranged directly with the winery. We do not publish opening hours, prices or availability, and Roc Villa Bay has no affiliation with the estate. Ask whether the tasting includes the Superiore: the difference between Sapaio and Volpolo is the clearest lesson the estate can offer.
A different base
Roc Villa Bay is in Castiglioncello, not in Bolgheri: a private seafront house with four bedrooms, three private units, more than 4,000 m² of garden and two private accesses to the sea.
It is a good base for travellers who want to visit the wine zone without spending the whole holiday among vineyards. The Bolgheri wineries guide covers the estates; villas near Bolgheri explains the geography. Write to us for availability.
Questions
Good to know
When was Podere Sapaio founded?
In 1999, by Massimo Piccin, in the Bolgheri area of Castagneto Carducci.
What is the difference between Sapaio and Volpolo?
Sapaio is the flagship Bolgheri Superiore; Volpolo is the more accessible red of the estate.
Do you organise visits?
No. Book directly with the winery; Roc Villa Bay is not affiliated with the estate.
Stay at Roc Villa Bay
A private house
by the sea
Four bedrooms, three private units, more than 4,000 m² of Mediterranean garden and two private accesses to the sea in Castiglioncello.
