BACKGROUND In recent years, biofungicides have drawn increasing interest in vineyards for a more sustainable integrated and copper‐limited pest management. Among alternatives, botanicals could represent valuable tools, being rich sources of biologically active compounds. Conversely to the well‐known antioxidant and biological properties in relation to health benefits, investigation on bioactivity of hot pungent Capsicum sp. products against fungal phytopathogens in vineyards is still scarce. Therefore, the present study aimed at exploring the biologically active compounds profile of a chili pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) pod extract and its antimicrobial properties against some of the major fungal and Oomycetes pathogens of grapevine, including Botrytis cinerea Pers., Guignardia bidwellii (Ellis) Viala & Ravaz and Plasmopara viticola (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Berl. & De Toni. RESULTS The ethyl acetate‐extracted oleoresin from the most pungent varieties was rich in capsaicinoids and polyphenols (371.09 and 268.5 μg mg−1 dry weight, respectively). Capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids and quercetin derivatives were the most abundant, while carotenoids represented only a minor fraction. The oleoresin was efficient to inhibit all three pathogenic fungi and ED50 values were determined, evidencing that G. bidwellii was the more sensitive (0.233 ± 0.034 mg mL−1). CONCLUSION The results suggested a potentiality of chili pepper extract for the control of some important grapevine pathogens, their possible application being helpful for the recommended limitation in extensive use of copper in vineyard. The complex mixture of high amounts of capsaicinoids, associated to specific phenolic acids and other minor bioactive components might contribute to the observed antimicrobial action of chili pepper extract. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. Oleoresin from chili peppers offers new potential as alternative to copper and synthetic pesticides in vineyard: high capsaicinoids (and polyphenols) content seems to contribute to inhibit some of the most important or newly emergent grapevine pathogens growth.