Tenuta Vergaia

Foundation in 2017

Tenuta Vergaia was founded in 2017 by Philipp Hildebrand, the former president of the Swiss National Bank. His passion for fine wine and his ambition to create a Tuscan estate led him to the hills of Bibbona, close to Bolgheri.

Partnership and technical direction

The estate subsequently became the basis of a partnership between Hildebrand and Bindella, arising from the friendship between Philipp Hildebrand and Rudi Bindella and their shared interest in fine wine.

Riccardo Cotarella joined the project as its winemaking authority, contributing experience in both viticulture and vinification. Under his direction, each vintage is approached as an individual expression of the estate, combining dedicated work with innovation. Tenuta Vergaia concentrates its production on a single wine made in small quantities.

Tenuta Vergaia lies among the gentle Tuscan hills within the municipality of Bibbona, near Bolgheri. Its position is influenced by the nearby Tyrrhenian Sea, whose breezes reach the vineyards. The local climate is temperate, while the terroir varies across the estate.

The vineyards stand between 80 and 90 metres above sea level. Their soils have a clay-and-sand composition. Together, the maritime proximity, temperate conditions and varied ground support Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot.

All vines are farmed organically. Work is conducted with an artisanal level of attention that begins among the rows and continues through the cellar.

The 10 ha of vineyards are exposed to breezes from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The fruit is harvested manually, with the estate seeking healthy, concentrated grapes. After picking, the grapes undergo careful selection before vinification.

The hand-harvested grapes undergo careful selection before fermentation in stainless-steel vessels. The different varietal components are matured in French barriques for approximately 15 months. They are subsequently blended, followed by a further 12 months of maturation in bottle.

Production is deliberately focused on one wine made in small quantities, with every vintage treated as an individual work.

Tenuta Vergaia’s philosophy is embodied in a single wine produced in small quantities. Its stated ideals are elegance, depth and complete respect for the territory.

Each vintage is conceived as an individual work rather than a standardized repetition. Dedication and innovation are presented as complementary means of translating the character of the estate into wine.