Wine cellar Monti

Cantina Monti is a small family-run business with 4 employees. It is located on the slopes that run from Cademario down toward Bioggio, at an elevation of 550 meters above sea level. Here, several vineyards scattered around the slopes are tended, for a total of 4 hectares. The vineyards face toward South/South-east and are arranged in single-row terraces.

The varietals are grown using the simple 80-cm Guyot system except in one of the vineyards, were the "lira" system is applied. The soil is light, sandy and deep. Because of the rather steep slopes (upto 70% gradient) not all of the work can be mechanized. "Integrated production" methods are being applied to ensure increased respect for the environment and management practices consistent with ecological needs. For oenological reasons, yields are purposely kept very low by rigorously lighting the grape densities. Moreover, for three years a parcel of Merlot has been dedicated to the production of a biodynamic wine. 

Because of Malcantone's fickle weather conditions the vines had to be covered with netting to protect against hail. As a result of experiments conducted with some varietals, some of the work has been followed by the Federal Agronomy Research Station in Ticino and by the Cantonal Consulting Service.
Another plot is cultivated in Vacallo (manager Carlos Piffaretti).

The vineyards carry 7 varieties of red grapes and 3 of white grapes in several clones and graft-carriers, namely:

• Merlot
• Pinot noir
• Cabernet Franc
• Diolinoir
• Carminoir
• Ancellotta
• Americana
• Müeller-Thurgau
• Chardonnay
• Pinot Gris

Although the steep slopes around Cademario are located at relatively high altitude (about 500 meters above sea level) the peculiar exposure and the extremely steep gradients on light soil make for excellent adjustment to the various grape varieties.

The position along the mountainside, looking down almost vertically on the Vedeggio valley and Lake Lugano, gives rise to a considerable temperature differential between night and day and a microclimate that is always well aerated: these characteristics are essential for the proper ripening of the grapers.