Discovering Maison Vagneur in Valle d’Aosta
- Ipek Leni Candan
- Aug 26
- 3 min read
It’s always a joy to discover new gems in Valle d’Aosta – Italy’s smallest region, and also its smallest wine-producing one. Last year, we visited many wineries here (you can read about those visits here), and shared more broadly what makes the wines of this region so special.
A Boutique Winery at 900m
This year, our first stop was Maison Vagneur, a boutique winery producing fewer than 2,000 bottles annually from just one hectare of vines. Maison Vagneur is the vision and work of Palma Faggiano, who runs the entire operation single-handedly. Palma has dedicated herself to three grape varieties – Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains, Gewürztraminer and Syrah – and produces only single-varietal, single-vineyard wines. Everything is vinified in stainless steel to preserve the purity of the grapes and the character of Vigna Chantè, her vineyard in the village of Saint Nicolas at around 900 metres altitude. Yields are very low, giving naturally concentrated wines.
Walking the Vines with Palma
Our visit began with a walk through Vigna Chantè with Palma. Her passion, love, and meticulous care for the vines were immediately evident. The vineyard is hand-worked, irrigated only when absolutely necessary, and no pesticides are used – just the traditional Bordeaux mixture when needed. The Muscat and Gewürztraminer are so fragrant that they attract plenty of unwanted attention from birds, deer, and even badgers, meaning the vines must be netted and protected with bird scarers scattered throughout.
This part of Valle d’Aosta has always been a viticultural area, even more so before the devastation of phylloxera. Behind Palma’s vineyards, which were planted in 2007, stand older ungrafted vines of an unidentified variety, enclosed by historic stone walls and thought to be more than 100 years old.
Tasting Among the Vines
We tasted the wines right there in the vineyard, surrounded by the vines and the olive trees Palma has planted to encourage biodiversity.
Muscat Petit Grain 2021
Just 400 bottles were made. Harvested in mid-September, it was delicate yet expressive, with aromas of orange blossom, jasmine, apple, white peach, and a touch of honeyed tertiary complexity on the palate. The intensity of the aromatics was beautifully balanced by refreshing acidity. Tasting a Muscat with a bit of age was a treat, and this felt right at its peak drinking window.
Traminer 2022
Also harvested in mid-September, it began more restrained than the Muscat, but after about 20 minutes in the glass it really opened up, showing rose, ginger, lime, lemon zest, and grapefruit. The oily texture was lifted by higher acidity than the Muscat, giving the wine precision and balance. Palma shared that she has experimented with some skin contact in more recent vintages of Traminer – something I’m very curious to taste once ready.
Syrah 2021
Harvested mid-October, destemmed and vinified entirely in stainless steel, it opened with an immediate burst of black pepper, followed by sour cherry, blackberry and red forest fruits. On the palate, it carried refreshing acidity, ripe tannins and a lingering finish – a clean and elegant expression of Syrah from a cooler-climate site.
A Testament to Passion and Precision
Overall, the wines of Maison Vagneur impressed me with their purity and clarity. Palma is a perfect example of what can be achieved when passion meets precision, and her thoughtful, quality-driven approach shines in every bottle. Maison Vagneur is absolutely worth a visit if you find yourself in Valle d’Aosta.
And for those in London – you’ll have the chance to taste one of Palma’s wines at our upcoming Italian Women Winemakers tasting on 11 September 2025. It’ll be a surprise which one makes an appearance, but you can book your spot here.
Other posts in the Wines of Valle d'Aosta series
