John Matta

Wine training came first through study in the UK and then at the School of Oenology and Viticulture, Alba, Piemonte, giving John Matta a foundation split between Britain and Piedmont. That early mix of classroom work and practical preparation set an international frame for the career that followed. Before Castello Vicchiomaggio, he worked as a wine worker at Dufouleur Freres in Nuits-St-Georges (1966), a first role in the day-to-day discipline of vineyard and cellar. From there, the work moved into winemaking at Castello Vicchiomaggio, the post that became the center of his professional life.

Ownership and winemaking at Castello Vicchiomaggio have been John Matta’s work since 1982. The length of that tenure matters in wine: it means repeated harvests, long memory, and close attention to how an estate holds its shape over time. His role is not abstract; it is the steady custodianship of place, style, and reputation. The house and the name have become closely bound, with Matta’s presence part of how the estate is understood now.

Ripa delle Mandorle Bianco is one of John Matta’s signature wines. It sits as a clear marker of his work and one of the most direct points of reference for the style associated with Castello Vicchiomaggio.

IWSC Italian Winemaker of the Year (1997) is among John Matta’s honors. The recognition sits alongside a career built on continuity: early cellar work, formal training, and long service as owner and winemaker at Castello Vicchiomaggio. He has been recognized multiple times by the International Wine & Spirit Competition as Italian Winemaker of the Year, with awards cited for 1997, 2002, 2005, and 2010. He has been recognized multiple times by the International Wine & Spirit Competition as Italian Winemaker of the Year, with awards cited for 1997, 2002, 2005, and 2010.

He has been recognized multiple times by the International Wine & Spirit Competition as Italian Winemaker of the Year, with awards cited for 1997, 2002, 2005, and 2010.