Villa Svetoni: A Luxury Wine Resort in Montepulciano

The medieval hilltop village of Montepulciano is filled with picturesque charm, from its winding cobblestone streets to its Renaissance-era architecture and expansive views of the countryside. For wine and food lovers, Montepulciano offers historic cantinas, enotecas and eateries serving the region’s namesake Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG red wine. Restaurants and osterias serve hearty Tuscan fare like pici with duck ragu, ribollita soup, wild boar stew and Bistecca Fiorentina.

Montepulciano’s architectural highlights include the fourteenth century Palazzo Communale and Duomo and the Torre di Pulcinella, a clock tower topped with the commedia dell’arte figure, Pulcinella. There is even a Museum of Torture for those who want something more unusual.

During a visit in May 2025, we stayed at Villa Svetoni, an 18th century farmhouse that has been converted into a 12-room luxury resort. There is a large swimming pool overlooking the vineyards and a wellness center and spa. Villa Svetoni is the region’s first luxury wine resort. It overlooks the vineyards of Fattoria Svetoni, its on-site winery which dates to 1865. Villa Svetoni offers a well-located, comfortable base for exploring Montepulciano and nearby villages and attractions. Its on-site Michelin two- star restaurant, Osmosi, is another key attraction.

Our room at Villa Svetoni was spacious with high ceilings and a large window overlooking the swimming pool and vineyards. The bed was extremely comfortable, and the room was quiet. Daily breakfasts featured an assortment of house-made Italian sweet breads and cakes, granola, yogurt and fresh fruit. Options like egg dishes and avocado toast are available for a supplemental price. The staff was accommodating and provided us with a list of nearby restaurants to try.

Fattoria Svetoni wines

Fattoria Svetoni’s cellars are located beneath the resort; you can glimpse them from clear window panels installed in floors of the resort’s lobby. Following a tour of the cellars, we sat down for a tasting on the enclosed patio.

Vermentino is the dominant white grape in much of Tuscany. The Fattoria Svetoni Vermentino 2023 was aged 6 months in stainless and offered notes of lemon zest, pear and green apple.

A Rosato di Sangiovese 2024 had the colors of sunset: rosy, pink with a touch of apricot and offered with essences of fresh strawberry and cantaloupe.

Of the reds, the lightest was the Rosso di Montepulciano 2022, 90% Sangiovese/10% Merlot. The Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, 90 percent Sangiovese/10% Colorino, is aged 24 months in Slavonian oak and 12 months in bottle with flavors of dark cherry, anise, tomato leaf and pepper.

Fattoria Svetoni also produced a “Pieve” Nobile di Montepulciano red, the equivalent of a cru (single vineyard) wine. The La Croce Vino 2020 was made from 100% Sangiovese (also called Prugnolo Gentile throughout Montepulciano). Pieve wines allow for 100% Sangiovese whereas Nobile di Montepulciano wines require a blend of minimum 70% Sangiovese and maximum 30% of other allowed red varieties. This wine had four years aging in barrique which qualifies it as a riserva wine. The aromas and flavors were lusher with notes of dark cherry, currants, raspberry and pepper.

Our tasting included a presentation of local Pecorino di Pienza sheep’s milk cheeses, Cinta Senesi salumi, local olives, olive oil and breads.

 

Nearby Dining

A stay at Villa Svetoni would not be complete without trying the wines and dining at Osmosi, which was awarded one Michelin stars. Chef Mirko Marcelli describes his tasting menus as “contemporary Tuscan.” Advance reservations for this destination restaurant are necessary. We scored a lunch reservation which we detail in a separate post.

 

There are many nearby restaurants in Montepulciano. The front desk provided us a list. In addition to our lunch at Osmosi , we tried two other local restaurants:

Osteria del Conte (“The Count’s Tavern”) is a popular family-run restaurant serving local Tuscan dishes. It is centrally located in the village of Montepulciano. We started with a simple caprese salad, grateful the burst of flavors from the fresh tomatoes and mozzarella. Our house made pici with fresh tomato sauce and garlic was generous and absolutely delicious as was the lamb scottadito.

Idigeno is located at Cantina Salcheto Winery, about 15 minutes’ drive from Villa Svetoni. The small but hearty menu focuses on locally foraged foods. Given that this organic winery also raises geese, the menu offers different few renditions of this bird, from a goose liver pâte to roasted goose breast. The house-baked breads made with a locally sourced ancient grain from Poggione Sarteano, served with dippable sauces and Salcheto olive oil are not to be missed.

Getting there:

Montepulciano is a 90-minute drive from both Florence and Siena (trains available) and a two-hour drive from Rome. We took the train from Santa Maria Novella station in Florence to the Chiusi station, and Fattoria Svetoni arranged for a driver to pick us up. The drive from the station to the resort takes around 25 minutes.

Of course, driving is always a good option if you want to explore the countryside and nearby wineries. There is ample on-site parking at Villa Svetoni.

Reservations for Villa Svetoni can be made on the resort’s website or on Booking.com.

Nearby wineries Montepulciano that we have personally visited and recommend include: Vecchia Cantina di Montepulciano, Azienda Poliziano, Cantina Salcheto, Villa Santa Anna and Cantine Dei. Both the wineries Cantine Contucci and Podere Boscarelli also have tasting rooms in the village of Montepulciano.