Lunadoro is an estate winery in the Montepulciano region of Tuscany. Its main wines are Orcia Rosso DOC, Rosso di Montepulciano DOC and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOC. It was founded in 2002 when Dario Cappelli and Gigliola Cardinali bought what was Tenuta di Pagliareto and re-nameed it La Bandita e Lunadoro (Lunadoro was the name of a podere within the estate). Both came from farming backgrounds in the Orcia valley. Their original farm near Pienza in the Orcia valley produced Orcia DOC vines and grain, and had an agritourism. In April 2016 the company was bought by Schenk Italia SpA. The new owners created three site specific wines whilst cleaning up the oak-ageing regime.

Owner: Schenk Italia SpA. Amministratore delegato: Adriano Annovi.

Staff: Consultant oenologist: Maurizio Saettini (2014+).

Organic certification: 2020 Organic conversion from August 2020. | 2023 First vintage with full organic certification (pending).

Vineyards: 40 hectares (149 acres) of land on the ridge of Valiano, overlooking the Valdichiana, in the east of the Montepulciano zone. 12 hectares (30 acres) of vineyards, 10 of Sangiovese and 2 of Merlot and Petit Verdot. 5,000 vines per hectare. There are two vineyard areas. Pagliareto is a windy hilltop (hill crest) site at 340m, slow to ripen. Faces east to Lake Trasimeno. The other site, Quercione, lies  at 260m on sandy clay. It does not get full sun all day as it is low-lying.

Production: Annual production is around 70,000 bottles.

White wines

Bianco IGT: 50% each Trebbiano and Malvasia. Steel.

Pink wines

Dispetto: 100% Sangiovese. Ferments in stainless steel.

Red wines

Toscano Rosso IGT Ricordo: 90% Sangiovese, 10% Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Bianca. Steel.

Orcia Rosso DOC, Eclisse: 60% Sangiovese, 20% each Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. 12m in French barriques.

Rosso di Montepulciano DOC, Lunadoro: 2011 Just bottled, a bit stretched (Anteprima 2014). | 2012 From vat: a bit light (Anteprima 2014). | 2018 80% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot and Cabernet. 12m in botti. 20,000 bottles. Light clear polished red fruit (Anteprima 2020).

Rosso di Montepulciano DOC, Primo Senso: 2011 Produced.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Lunadoro: 2010 Sangiovese (‘Prugnolo gentile’). Quite evolved already (Anteprima 2014). | 2011 Nice weight, traditional style, not too oaky (Anteprima 2014). | 2014 100% Sangiovese. 14.5% alc. 30,000 bottles. Very hot vintage, dry spring. Yields 40% down on the norm.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Pagliareto: 2015 Modernist oaky spice, over atypical, citrussy kids’ birthday party jelly-fruit (Anteprima 2018). | 2016 15% alc. 100% Sangiovese. 

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Quercione: 2010 Bottled.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG Riserva, Quercione: 2009 Bottled. | 2014 14.5% alc. 90% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot & Cabernet. Smooth, oak-wrapped fruit; tangy if a little confected and anonymous (Anteprima 2018). 

Contact

Lunadoro

Loc. Terrarossa Pagliareto

Pagliereto

53040 Valiano di Montepulciano (SI), Italy

Tel+39 0471.803311 | Website: See here.