The Tuscany you don't expect: this simple phrase embodies the very essence of Tenuta Montauto, an artisan company in the heart of Maremma that has belonged to the Lepri family for over half a century.
«It was my grandfather Enos who started the business in the 60s – says Riccardo – The first vineyards were planted starting in the 80s, but I personally only arrived in 2000. Despite my degree in Economics and Commerce, I couldn't resist the call of this wild land. I gave up the idea of becoming an accountant and from that moment on I dedicated my life to viticulture. The decision to take over the family business allowed me to surrender to my love for the countryside and its landscapes».
And the landscape of Maremma is something one can lose their mind over.
«This entire portion of Tuscany – continues Riccardo – is free of factories or major industries, there are very few significant civil settlements, and the population density is really low. It is an organic land by nature and vocation».
In such a context, how could one not make a "territorial" choice?
«Yes, here Nature is the protagonist. Our production is mainly focused on white wines, because this terroir is rich in quartz and lends itself precisely to white wines characterized by high minerality and freshness. We have chosen to make exclusively "clean wines", in the sense that the clarity of aromas must be given by human care in production up to bottling».
They don't use herbicides at Montauto, all harvesting is done by hand and there is meticulous care at every stage of the winemaking process: «We are very careful about hygiene in the cellar. The natural stabilization of the wine is done with cold and all the energy we use comes from renewable sources».
A 360-degree organic and green management, therefore, which combines respect for nature with cleanliness, minerality, and drinkability. Indeed, these are the four pillars on which the entire philosophy carried forward by the Lepri family is based.
And always with a view to the vocation and respect for this land and its millennial history, according to Riccardo there is one place in particular that deserves to be visited, the Archaeological and Naturalistic Park of Vulci: «It is one of the most important Etruscan settlements. When I walk along what was once the main street, right where the artisans' workshops were, I imagine myself at the port from where boats loaded with wine amphorae for Gaul departed. Then it seems to me that an invisible cord is created, connecting our vineyards to the wines that this land has always given us. And time is canceled out».
It is therefore no coincidence that the flavor that best represents Maremma for him is that of Senatore Cappelli wheat stone-ground: «an ancient flavor, recently rediscovered. A hard but generous grain like this territory, an emblem of tradition and biodiversity».
Maremma is a land to be discovered by respecting the times that nature and the seasons dictate, without haste, in harmony with the surrounding context: «ahorseback excursion to Alberese is an experience that no one should miss at least once in a lifetime to savor what this land truly is. Here the last butteri still live. There are such unique glimpses that seem to stop time at an indefinite horizon where the past merges with the present and gets lost in the future».
