Monte Antico Winery

[MON-teh an-TEE-co]

Location: Santa Lucia, Province of Pisa, Tuscany, Italy

Monte Antico was founded in 1977 by Neil and Maira Empson as a dedication to their love of Tuscany. Franco Bernabei, a longtime friend of the Empsons, acts as the winemaker and works with the Empsons to style the wine, which is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

Points of Differentiation

• A cross-section of Tuscany’s best locations
• Crafted with the aim of being a food friendly wine
• Elegant packaging for a timeless look and easy open screwcap for protecting unused wine
• Fashioned by world-renown winemaker, Franco Bernabei
• Consistently named one of Tuscany’s Best Values

The History

After Neil and Maria Empson launched Neil Empson Selections, they began considering creating their own wine. Their special affinity for Tuscany led them to start Monte Antico five years later. Monte Antico, which means “ancient mountain” in Italian, was created with the intent that the wine should reflect Tuscan culture and be easy to pair.

The Empson called on, a longtime friend and world-renowned winemaker Franco Bernabei. Together, they styled the wine using primarily Sangiovese and touches of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The resulting wine was the perfect expression of Tuscan terroir.

The Terroir

When it came to choosing the location of the vineyards the Empsons and Franco Bernabei were careful in their selection, choosing only sites that would provide the perfect balance for the wine. The final selection of vineyard sites includes the finest areas of Maremma, Colline Pisane, and Colli Fiorentini.

One of the unique features of Monte Antico is the range of soil types the vines grow on. The soil types include:

• A very fine-textured limestone at 1,300-1,500 feet above sea level
• A classic, clayey/calcareous, rocky galestro at 1,300 feet above sea level
• A clayey/siliceous/calcareous soil at 820-990 feet above sea level

From these select sites, the grapes are cherry-picked according to harvest conditions in the individual terroirs and microclimates. This balanced combination of geological diversity results in the wine’s consistent excellence.