Montevetrano

Overview

Estate

It starts in the mid-80s, with a group of friends who love wine and are eager to experiment. It was 1983, and among them were Silvia Imparato and Riccardo Cotarella. After six years, the first bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon 90% and Aglianico 10% were produced, the first vintage of a wine that would adopt the same name as the castle: Montevetrano.

Climate

The Montevetrano estate enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate strongly influenced by the nearby Tyrrhenian Sea. Warm, sunny days, cooling sea breezes, and pronounced day-to-night temperature variation allow the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly, preserving freshness, aromatic complexity, and elegance in the wines.

Soil

The vineyards of Montevetrano are planted in medium-textured soils rich in fossil fragments and minerals. This unique composition, together with the influence of the nearby sea, contributes to the wines’ complexity, structure, and refined minerality.

Vineyards

Today, Montevetrano is a 26-hectare estate, about 5 of which are vineyards, in the Monti Picentini Regional Park in southern Italy. The vineyards are in San Cipriano Picentino, on a former Bourbon estate at 328 feet above sea level, on the crest of a hill among oaks, chestnuts, hazelnut trees, a citrus grove, and olive trees, in the shadow of an ancient medieval castle.

Cultivation

Montevetrano practices meticulous vineyard management, emphasizing low yields and careful grape selection to achieve maximum concentration and balance. The vines are primarily trained using Guyot and spur-pruned cordon systems, and hand-harvesting is used to preserve fruit quality and integrity.

Winery

Montevetrano’s winery blends artisanal attention to detail with modern winemaking precision, enabling full control over every stage of production. The cellar features temperature-controlled stainless-steel fermentation tanks and French oak barriques for aging, producing wines that balance structure, elegance, and Mediterranean character.

Family

Montevetrano was founded by Silvia Imparato, whose vision and passion transformed a small family property in the hills near Salerno into one of Southern Italy's most iconic wineries. Deeply connected to the territory and its traditions, the estate remains family-run, blending authenticity, elegance, and a strong sense of place.

Winemaker

Riccardo Cotarella is among Italy’s most renowned enologists, internationally respected for blending technical precision with a deep understanding of terroir and grape expression. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with some of the country’s most prestigious wineries, helping elevate the reputation of modern Italian winemaking while preserving a strong connection to regional identity and tradition.

Focus Point

• Iconic boutique winery located in the hills of Salerno, in Southern Campania. • Founded by Silvia Imparato, one of the pioneering figures of modern Southern Italian wine. • Consultancy and winemaking direction by Riccardo Cotarella. • Montevetrano widely considered one of the benchmark wines of Southern Italy.