Monte Antico

Monte Antico means “ancient mountain” in Italian and in the world of fine wines, it has combined quality, reliability and value, since 1977. The label belongs to Neil and Maria Empson, who launched the Super Tuscan five years after founding Neil Empson Selections. It was their unique love of the heartland of Italy that led them to make their very own mark on Tuscan soil: with the maestro of Italian winemakers, Franco Bernabei, they have styled the Tuscan grape par excellence, expressing its ultimate potential, complementing it with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The initial home of the brand was in Maremma, well before the region became fashionable. In time, it expanded to about 50 of Tuscany’s best vineyard sites in Maremma (Scansano, particularly for the Merlot and Cabernet) and in Colline Pisane and Colli Fiorentini, as well as the most recent additions, a few areas in Chianti.

The soil types range from compact, very fine-textured limestone at 396-457 meters (1,300-1,500 feet) above sea level; to classic calcareous clay, rocky galestro, 396 meters (1,300 feet) above sea level; and clayey/siliceous/calcareous soil, at an altitude of 250-302 meters (820-990 feet) above sea level. The finest selections are hand-picked according to harvest conditions in the individual areas. This balanced composition of geological diversity makes for the wine’s consistent excellence, justly praised by the likes of Robert Parker (“one of Italy’s better values”), Wine Spectator (“Delicious”; “Best Value”), the Washington Post (“This wine keeps getting better with every vintage”), and more. Another secret to Monte Antico’s style is its makers’ loyalty to toscanità, terroir and tradition. Monte Antico expresses the velvety, berry and violet accents of its homeland all over the world, with no concessions to fashion or momentary trends, consistently maintaining its original quality standards. Not quantity over quality but quality on a grand scale – enjoyable by as many as possible thanks to the accessible price.