American Michael L. Cioffi is the new owner of Valdipiatta, a brand of Montepulciano

It’s a story of friendship between families, of love for a territory and its wine, that one which brought America lawyer Michael L. Cioffi, already the owner of Monteverdi Tuscany, refined hotel spread in the hearth of Val d’Orcia, in the municipality of Sarteano, to become the new owner of Valdipiatta property, one of the historical brands of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano of the Caporali family since the 1980s, purchased by Giulio Caporali, and, headed, up to today, by Miriam Caporali, who will remain with the company as general director, and who will continue to manage the winery daily, as her father did before, with an always deeply rooted vision into the tradition, and authenticity of the territory. According to American Cioffi, and Valdipiatta, it is “a strategic investment which is worth over 1 million euros, and the expansion of vineyards to celebrate twenty years of friendship and passion for the territory”, explains a note. Behind all, the long friendship, born thanks to wine, between Cioffi and Giulio Caporali, and a more than 20-year-old bond between the American lawyer and the company.
“A consolidated bond  - Miriam Caporali explains to WineNews -  such that Cioffi owns in Monteverdi an exclusive vertical which counts more than the last 20 vintages of our Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Vigna di Alfiero, of which he purchased, up to today, “en primeur”, one of two oak barrels every year, and which then is labeled with an exclusive dedication to Monteverdi. And, for him, since many years, we vinify the grapes of a small vineyard, which he has always in Monteverdi, from which a wine which he produces for personal pleasure, and it’s not traded, arises”.
The agreement, actually already operative, as WineNews finds out, foresees the integral acquisition of the shares of Valdipiatta property by Michael L. Cioffi (while the minority share of Miriam Caporali in the property of the historical Caffè Poliziano di Montepulciano is not included in the operation, ed). “This agreement will bring new substantial financial resources, higher than 1 million euros to the winery for the expansion of the territory, and the investment in new cutting-edge equipment for winemaking. Miriam Caporali will continue to have the role of Chief Operating Officer of Valdipiatta property, supported by her husband Giuliano, and will continue to manage the winery daily, as his father did before her, with an always deeply rooted vision into the tradition, and authenticity of the territory”, as one can read in a note.
Valdipiatta was founded at the end of the Sixties by the father of Miriam Caporali, Giulio Caporali. The property, in the years, has grown starting from the initial 10 hectares up to the current 30, of which 20 are vineyards, 2 olive tree groves, and the remaining wood. The agreement between Miriam Caporali and Michael L. Cioffi, still explains an official public statement, celebrates twenty years of friendship and collaboration “which began in 2003 when Cioffi visited, for the first time, Valdipiatta after having read an article on Usa magazine “Wine Spectator”.
“Giulio Caporali hosted me smiling, and since that moment, a beautiful friendship arose. We spent many hours talking about history, art, philosophy, and, naturally, about wine. Giulio Caporali was an extraordinary man, a great erudite, and an excellent vine grower”, recalls Cioffi. “I explained him, in an approximate Italian, about having read about his wine on “Wine Spectator”, and about my desire to purchase some bottles of the memorable vintage 1997. He pretended that he couldn’t understand, even if, then, I found out that he was an authentic man of the Renaissance, engineer, historian, an academic of Etruscan civilization, and writer with excellent competence in English. After having patiently listened to me while I was limping along with my embarrassing Italian trying to illustrate him how much I knew about his successes, he smiled at me, and said: “Would you like to see the winery?” In the next two decades, we spent many hours talking about Etruscan history, art, music, philosophy, politics, and naturally, about wine. His favorite diversion was to have me undergo blind wine tastings of its private collection. I’m proud to affirm that I didn’t often disappoint my friend with wrong answers... or, maybe, he conceded me more indulgence than I deserved. Giulio Caporali was a great academic, vine grower, and an extraordinary human being. I have a deep affection for him and I still miss him today”, concluded American lawyer. Therefore, he is now one of the many foreign entrepreneurs who fall in love with the Tuscany of wine, and with its territories, and become wine producers.