The climb to Montepulciano’s Piazza Grande ends among palaces, stone and wine. Working cellars lie beneath this upper part of town, but “visiting a winery” might mean a brief look and three glasses or a guided explanation lasting more than an hour. Cantina Contucci and De’ Ricci Cantine Storiche offer both possibilities within the old town. Your choice depends on your time, whether you want a guide and what you want to spend to taste Vino Nobile.
The Vino Nobile consortium’s DOCG rules require grapes from vineyards in the municipality and at least 70% Sangiovese. Knowing that helps distinguish this wine from anything else carrying “Montepulciano” in its name. In the old town, palace cellars hold part of the production and ageing, while the vineyards are outside it. Decide whether you want to see architecture and process, compare labels in a tasting or simply buy a bottle: each points towards a different format.
Contucci still makes and ages wine beneath its family palazzo. On 1 October 2026 its website advertised daily visits and tastings from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with three wines for €10. For more context, the “Contucci Experience” adds palace rooms, a garden if weather allows, a longer cellar tour and four wines. It lasts around two hours, costs €25 or €40 depending on the food served and requires booking fifteen days ahead. Reviews value the historic atmosphere and staff, but a brief visit does not necessarily provide the same account as the guided programme.
De’ Ricci starts with a guided visit to its “Cathedral of Wine”. The published tour lasts 75 minutes and offers three wines for €20 or six for €30, with a small taste of local food. Several slots are available daily, but a request is a booking only when the winery confirms it. Reviews tend to praise the explanations and underground rooms; some warn of limited places without a reservation. The main entrance has ninety steps, while the winery advertises a second street-level entrance for those who need it. Arrange that in advance.
If you are passing through and want to sample wines at a lower starting cost, Contucci’s regular option is simpler. If you want a guided story with defined length and price, De’ Ricci makes the choice easier. Compare the exact number of wines, included food, language and access; a tasting at a counter and a palace tour are not the same product. In either case, check the current programme and plan alcohol consumption responsibly if driving afterwards.
Check current details and choose according to your budget, time and way of travelling.
Options to compare
These options relate to the question. Read each profile and check current details before deciding.
Cantina Contucci preserves part of Montepulciano’s wine history beneath the family palazzo near Piazza Grande. The company says the cellars, linked to the old town walls, are still working: several Vino Nobile labels mature there, alongside Rosso di Montepulciano and Vin Santo. This is not an empty
Working Vino Nobile di Montepulciano cellar beneath Palazzo Contucci
De’ Ricci Cantine Storiche
Via Ricci 13, 53045 Montepulciano SI, Italia
A visit to De’ Ricci descends below Via Ricci into a historic cellar the winery calls the “Cathedral of Wine”. It is more than an impromptu tasting in a shop: the guided route connects underground architecture, the estate’s work and a selection of its wines, from Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG to
Historic “Cathedral of Wine” cellar and guided Vino Nobile tastings
Sources & references
Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.
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Official website of Cantina Contucci ↗
Primary source
Contucci · Accessed October 1, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Cantina Contucci ↗
Primary source
Contucci · Accessed October 1, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of De’ Ricci Cantine Storiche ↗
Primary source
De’ Ricci · Accessed October 1, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of De’ Ricci Cantine Storiche ↗
Primary source
De’ Ricci · Accessed October 1, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano · Accessed October 1, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Contucci · Accessed October 1, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
De’ Ricci · Accessed October 1, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Opiniones de Cantina Contucci ↗
Secondary source
Wanderlog · Accessed October 1, 2026
Google 4,4/5 y 324 reseñas el 1/10/2026; no confundir con Enoteca Contucci (otra ficha) ni Tripadvisor 4,5/5 y 517.
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Opiniones de De’ Ricci Cantine Storiche ↗
Secondary source
Wanderlog · Accessed October 1, 2026
Google 4,8/5 y 972 reseñas mostrado el 1/10/2026; Tripadvisor 4,6/5 y 654 por separado.