Montauto Metodo Classico

Montauto Winery

Tenuta Montauto is in Manciano, Luisa’s hometown. Owner Riccardo Lepri was a classmate of Luisa’s, and his parents were her English teacher and driver’s ed instructor, so our history with them goes way back. The winery has been in the Lepre family for almost 60 years. (“Lepre” means “hare” in Italian, which is why you’ll see one on every label.) The vineyards are farmed organically and hand-harvested, with careful attention to quality at every stage of production.

Montauto makes wine in an old-school way, avoiding the “international style” of big, oaky, opaque wines that often lack a sense of place. By fermenting in stainless steel, or using a small amount of old oak, Montauto’s wines let the grapes express themselves clearly. Their careful selection and handling of the fruit results in elegant, food-friendly wines with distinctive characteristics from the volcanic soil and maritime microclimate of Maremma.

The estate enjoys excellent soil (clay rich in rocks such as quartz), and a proximity to the sea, both ideal for the production of great white wines. Great attention is placed on bringing cleanliness, freshness and minerality to the wine. Mantauto makes elegant, drinkable, healthy wines with low levels of sulphur, a defined aroma, and rich in natural complexity.