The Vineyard Bought Online
In Corneliano d'Alba, Roero, Giuseppe Amato — a food enthusiast with no winemaking family — bought half a hectare of abandoned Nebbiolo on a used items website. Together with Kyriaki Kalimeri, they created Valdisole: a laboratory of curiosity where orange wines, amphorae, and rare varieties challenge tradition.
From Cooking Class to the Cellar
Giuseppe Amato's journey into wine was unexpected. A food enthusiast who attended cooking classes as a hobby, he became fascinated by food and wine pairing. He began taking sommelier courses — entering the wine world, as he puts it, "almost as a teetotaler." But the world of wine captivated him: its history, quality, and infinite complexity.
Soon, Giuseppe felt the need to go beyond tasting and understand "the soul of the wine; in brief, to make it." With no family tradition to inherit, he took an unconventional path. He bought his first vineyard online — yes, on a website specializing in used items. It was half a hectare of abandoned, shabby Nebbiolo vines in Corneliano d'Alba, Roero. That's how Valdisole was born in 2015 [^135^].
Together with his partner Kyriaki Kalimeri, Giuseppe transformed that neglected plot into a thriving winery. What started as half a hectare of Nebbiolo has grown into a project with multiple vineyards, different exposures, and diverse soil compositions — each expressing a different facet of Roero terroir.
"Nothing is art unless it comes from nature."
— Antoni Gaudí, inspiration for Valdisole
Born from Curiosity
Valdisole's wines are rarely "traditional" because curiosity is the driving force. Motivated by passion for wine and love for everything original and essential, Giuseppe and Kyriaki continually experiment with new and old practices, applying winemaking techniques from around the world to their Roero grapes [^135^].
This is why their wines often display colors and perfumes that aren't always expected or "typical" — they are expressions of philosophies at times visionary, at times crazy, that continue to evolve. But one principle remains invariable: from vineyard to winery, the only ingredient is the grape. No synthetic chemicals. No enological forcing [^135^].
"Study Philosophy"
"To make great wines, one shouldn't study oenology, but philosophy." This quote from Josko Gravner hangs in the cellar at Valdisole, guiding their approach. Wine is not just chemistry — it's an expression of ideas, culture, and connection to nature.
"Immediate and sincere, goes from grape to wine remaining coherent and true in its expression."
— On the Valdisole style
Rare & Indigenous
Valdisole works with an extraordinary range of varieties — from the noble Nebbiolo to nearly extinct local grapes. Their commitment to biodiversity means giving voice to forgotten varieties that risk disappearing forever.
The "King of Wines" that started it all. Valdisole divides their Nebbiolo into three expressions based on terroir: Sand, Sun, and Energy — each from different exposures and soil compositions.
Originally planted as a "sacrificial" grape among Nebbiolo vines to attract insects and birds away from the more valuable red grapes. Valdisole has made 7-8 different vinifications, turning this underdog into a star.
Nearly extinct variety from Piedmont — Valdisole makes the only natural wines from this grape. Historically confused with other Malvasias, it's a distinct variety with fascinating history linked to Madeira and even Shakespeare.
One of Piedmont's rarest aromatic varieties — red-skinned with intense perfume and structure. Gradually abandoned in the 20th century due to low yields, now being rediscovered by patient growers.
Known elsewhere as Vermentino, but deeply rooted in Roero under its local name. Historically planted with Nebbiolo for biodiversity rather than as a standalone variety.
A rare "grey" grape suspended between white and red, nearly extinct. Delicate in structure with floral and spice notes — reviving it is an act of preservation as much as experimentation.
Plus Traminer (genetic ancestor of Gewürztraminer) and Riesling — varieties that reward patience and honesty, clearly reflecting every choice made in vineyard and cellar.
The Return to Origin
Valdisole is famous for their orange wines — not as a trend, but as a return to tradition. Before modern enological technology, white grapes were traditionally fermented with skin contact, just like reds. This extended maceration gives orange wines their characteristic amber color, along with structure and longevity [^135^].
Depending on the variety, maceration can last from a few days to up to 8 months (as with their Moscato wines). The vessels vary too — clay amphorae, wood barrels, or cement. These wines are intense and complex, demanding mature grapes of excellent quality with minimal treatments.
Their flagship orange wine — 75-year-old Arneis vines, 9-month barrel maceration, spontaneous fermentation, minimal SO₂. Aromatic skin-contact white that showcases what extended maceration can achieve.
Oxidative Moscato — "not your usual Moscato wine." An experimental style that pushes boundaries of what aromatic varieties can do when exposed to oxygen during winemaking.
"Orange wines are simply wines made by white grapes, following the traditional method of winemaking." At Valdisole, this ancient technique is not a novelty — it's a way to add structure, longevity, and complexity to white wines through the transfer of nutritive substances from skins to juice [^135^].
The Valdisole Wines
All wines are made with no synthetic chemicals or enological forcing. Spontaneous fermentation, native yeasts, and constant experimentation. The only ingredient is the grape — from vineyard to glass [^135^].