The First 5,000 Bottles of Wine From Pope Leo XIV’s Vineyard Have Been Produced

Pope Leo XIV general audience in St. Peter’s Square at The Vatican, Feb. 18. (Photo: Rocco Spaziani/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

The Vatican has produced its first 5,000 bottles of wine from a new vineyard established as part of Pope Leo XIV’s sustainability initiative at the papal summer residence outside Rome, The Times reported this week.

The inaugural vintage comes from a two-hectare (just under five acres) organic vineyard planted exclusively with Cabernet Sauvignon at Borgo Laudato Si, a 55-acre sustainable farming project located on the grounds of Castel Gandolfo in Italy’s Lazio region.

Pope Leo XIV recently visited the site to bless the vineyard and mark the milestone, raising a glass of the newly produced red wine. Officials hope annual production will eventually reach 15,000 liters, equivalent to roughly 20,000 standard bottles.

The vineyard is part of a broader effort to promote sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship and workforce training. Borgo Laudato Si officially opened last year and has been described by Vatican officials as a “zero-impact” agricultural project.

“This privilege comes with a great responsibility: that of caring for all other creatures, in accordance with the creator’s plan,” Pope Leo XIV said during the project’s opening.

Beyond wine, the farm also produces olive oil, cheese and herbal tea using organic and regenerative farming practices. AI-powered irrigation systems help minimize water use, while vineyard design work from the University of Udine aims to reduce reliance on pesticides through disease-resistant planting strategies.

About 8,000 vines are maintained by refugee workers participating in agricultural training programs. The initiative also provides opportunities for former prisoners and unaccompanied minors, with organizers aiming to train more than 1,000 people annually in sustainable agriculture, hospitality and livestock management.

Winemaking is overseen by renowned Italian consultant Riccardo Cotarella. The 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines are aged in oak barrels and are expected to be sold within Vatican City while also being shared with visitors to Borgo Laudato Si.

The project adds another chapter to the Vatican’s longstanding relationship with alcohol. In 2024, two rare Willett Bourbon bottles signed by the late Pope Francis sold at auction for a combined $27,500, with proceeds benefiting charitable causes. Francis made other remarks that blended humor and reverence around spirits and wine over theyears, including a quip referring to Scotch as “the real holy water,” joking about tequila as a remedy for knee pain and receiving bourbon as a gift from Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops.

Despite its tiny footprint, Vatican City remains the world’s largest wine importer on a per-capita basis. Italian wines account for the vast majority of bottles imported into the city-state, which has enjoyed duty-free status since the Lateran Treaty established Vatican independence in 1929.

Visitors and Vatican residents can purchase wine through two stores inside the city-state, where bottles are often sold at lower prices than in nearby Rome because of the territory’s tax-free status.