At Montoni, each and every organism first expresses itself by listening to the voice of Mother Nature. She leads. Rigid and steadfast, but at the same time righteous, she consistently creates the perfect equilibrium which, only if supported and followed, can be a precursor to great products. Our wines are thus manipulated as little as possible by man.
For instance, Gravity or “the big arm,” has long helped humans to move grapes and must while slowly filtering wines; Winter, “the large refrigerator of Nature,” stabilizes the wines and frees them from deposit in the bottles; the Mountains also help “refrigerate” the grape clusters during the hot Sicilian summers – where night temperatures drop significantly – letting the vine breathe.
We also follow the lead of Time, as everything slows down in the cellar. At Montoni, time is sacred. The wines need time to rest and to refine, in order to reach their state of “perfection.” Time….we should learn to appreciate it for all the benefits that it gives to life.
Hands are indispensable for creating small masterpieces. In line with our centuries-old tradition, all operations in the vineyard are undertaken completely by hand. Only hands can transfer the thought of man who, in winter, prunes the plant, preparing her for the future by cutting away the past, seeking her balance in the present. During the harvest, only hands can grab the grape clusters one by one, gently laying them to rest in the crates, trying not to damage their skin. Or in the cellar, when we stir the fermenting juice, hands are used vigorously to create a mixture between the skins and the must.
Microorganisms and air….In between the rows of the vineyard, we sow plants (such as fava, peas and honeysuckle) that have the ability to absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere and transfer it to the roots. There, a “laboratory of nature” transforms this nitrogen from a gas into a solid form….fertilizing the soil.
.…rain, sweat, seasons, sun, sacrifices….man and Nature…..at Montoni all such elements intermingle and each plays an essential role in our winemaking.