The Stories of Local Ambassadors: Pierpaolo Capaldi of White Hill Beer, Sarteano

From a family passion to a life project

Some stories begin almost by chance but over time turn into true life projects. This is the case of White Hill Beer, a venture that combines roots, passion, and innovation in the heart of the Valdichiana Senese, in Sarteano. This is precisely the focus of the new series of interviews with Local Ambassadors, young custodians who reinterpret the territory with creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

A fortuitous discovery that became home

It was 1985 when Pierpaolo’s parents, in search of a country property, came across a farmhouse abandoned for decades. “They immediately fell in love with the location, we are almost at the top of our mountain, with a view stretching as far as Cortona and the three lakes. For many years the farm was our second home; we spent weekends and summers here.”
His father, from Frosinone, and his mother, German from Wiesbaden near Frankfurt: two worlds that met in Rome and found in the farmhouse the perfect place to root a new adventure.

From returning to Valdichiana to a life choice

After attending a German school in Rome and completing his university studies in economics and finance, a few years of work in Milan seemed to have set his professional path. But as an only child, one question arose: what future should he give to the family farm?
“Ten years ago I decided to leave Milan and fully dedicate myself to the farm, transforming what began as a hobby into a real life project. I developed the agritourism, as well as the production and sale of extra virgin olive oil from our 2,000 olive trees, about 600 of which were planted back in the 1980s. The entire production has always been organic, from crops to arable land. The beer is not yet certified organic, but soon we will have a dedicated line.”

Today, he explains, thanks to the brewery he has also found a way to enhance the 50 hectares of arable land, an area not easy to manage due to its intermediate size. Being in a mountain zone, yields are not high, so the goal from the very beginning was to create an internal supply chain able to add value to the product. Most of the arable land is dedicated to beer production, both for his own brewery and for other colleagues interested in truly local barley malt.

Two souls

The farm now stretches across 200 hectares, with an agritourism, olive groves, and 50 hectares of arable land. And it was precisely from this land that the desire for a more innovative project arose: the brewery.
“There are two souls: Poggio Bianco was the historic name of the two farms, and we wanted to keep it for the historical value of the place. White Hill seemed the most fitting name for the brewery, a non-literal translation of Poggio Bianco that winks at those who catch the wordplay. The brewery is open to visits, and soon we will also open a restaurant space: 10 meters of glass overlooking the production plant, guided tours, and tastings. We want to spread beer culture, still little known in terms of production methods.”

The venue will host about 40 seats indoors and 20 outdoors, offering craft beers and local specialties. Live music evenings will also be held, thanks to Pierpaolo’s passion for drumming.

Passion, values, and future

“I work for passion, what I do I enjoy so much that it doesn’t feel like work. Even though there are aspects of my job I like less, 99% of it feels more like a passion than a job.”
He says that his years in Milan gave him skills and discipline, which he now applies to the family business. Thanks to his studies, he also has the ability to properly value his products, even insisting on fair pricing for the high-quality extra virgin olive oil he produces, which deserves to be sold at a higher cost than the current market price.
“I’m happy to create opportunities for knowledge and exploration at my farm, both about my products and those of the territory, without slipping into agricultural fanaticism. I believe that passion can spark curiosity in everyone to better understand our local products.”

Today, White Hill Beer represents a place to discover, taste, and experience the Valdichiana Senese from a different perspective: through genuine products, convivial experiences, and the authentic passion of someone who chose to return to the land to give it new life.

The Local Ambassador’s favorite place

I’m a cyclist, and there are many favorite places for me in Valdichiana. If I had to choose one, it would be the road from Sarteano to San Casciano dei Bagni, the "mountain road" for the locals, near the Belverde area. From there you have a view of the whole valley; the climb isn’t too hard, and you can enjoy the valley framed by Cetona, with its uniquely shaped rocks.