Borgo Bonelli

Borgo Bonelli is a 16th-century hamlet in the Val d'Elsa, in the hills between Siena and Volterra. For generations its farmers worked the land around Castello Galena. The Giovanni Bonelli Collection, backed by American money, is now bringing the hamlet back as a small luxury hotel with two restaurants and a few villas.

The flagship wine is La Caccia di San Giovanni, a Super Tuscan red whose blend changes with what each vintage gives. La caccia means the hunt, after the vineyard's past as hunting ground, and the label shows two dogs chasing a rabbit. Marc Gagnon, who lives in Napa and once worked at Screaming Eagle, directs the winemaking. In some years the estate also bottles small single-variety selezione wines.

When I tasted here in 2026, the 2022 La Caccia stood out. It's built on Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and is only now hitting its stride.