Società del Vino: Two Remarkable Whites and a Family Visit to Montecarlo

Discovering Tenuta del Buonamico in the Hills of Tuscany

Some of the best wine discoveries happen when you're not necessarily looking for them.

And sometimes, having family in Italy makes those discoveries even better.

During our travels through Tuscany, our cousin Grazia Lorenzetti took us to Tenuta del Buonamico, a winery in the small hilltop town of Montecarlo, not far from Lucca.

Now, when most people hear Montecarlo, they immediately think of Monaco, the famous Mediterranean principality. But this is a completely different Montecarlo.

We're in Tuscany, surrounded by vineyards, olive groves, and the rolling countryside of the province of Lucca. And while Tuscany is famous for its red wines, particularly Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino, this visit reminded me that the region also produces some outstanding whites. We tasted several wines during our visit, but two in particular caught my attention.

The 2025 Etichetta Bianca Montecarlo DOC and the 2023 Vasario Toscana IGT.

Both are white wines from the same producer. But they're made in very different ways, and the contrast between them is exactly what made the tasting so interesting.

I was impressed enough with both that they deserved their own Società del Vino entry.

Montecarlo — Tuscany's Unexpected White Wine Country

Montecarlo is a small medieval town situated on a hill between Lucca and the Valdinievole area. The town has a long history of wine production, stretching back centuries.

Unlike many of Tuscany's more famous wine regions, where Sangiovese dominates, Montecarlo has developed a particularly interesting tradition of white wine production.

And there's a historical reason for that. During the 19th century, local wine producers began experimenting with French grape varieties, introducing grapes such as Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Pinot Bianco alongside traditional Tuscan varieties. That combination helped create a distinctive regional wine style. Instead of relying exclusively on indigenous Italian grapes, Montecarlo developed a tradition of blending Tuscan and French varieties.

And that's something you don't necessarily expect when you're exploring Tuscan wine country. Today, Montecarlo DOC wines continue that tradition.

Our first bottle is a perfect example.

Tenuta del Buonamico — A Winery with an Interesting Beginning

Before getting into the wines, there's a little history worth sharing. Tenuta del Buonamico was founded in 1964. But the reason behind its founding is rather unusual.

The original owners operated a restaurant called Al Gatto Nero in Turin, in northern Italy.

They were originally from the area around Altopascio, near Lucca, and wanted to serve authentic wines from their home region at their restaurant. So they established a winery in Montecarlo to produce them.

Think about that.

A winery created to supply a restaurant with the wines of its homeland.

That's about as Italian as it gets.

Over the years, the estate expanded and became one of the area's important wine producers. In 2008, the winery was acquired by Dino and Eugenio Fontana, a father-and-son team from Lucca with a background in the olive oil business. They modernized the operation while maintaining its connection to the region's winemaking traditions.

Today, Tenuta del Buonamico combines wine production with hospitality, tastings, and wine tourism. And thanks to Grazia, we had the opportunity to experience it firsthand.

The First Wine — Etichetta Bianca 2025

Montecarlo DOC Bianco · Tuscany · 13% alcohol

Our first wine was the 2025 Etichetta Bianca. The name literally translates to White Label.

Simple enough. But the wine itself is anything but ordinary. Unlike many Italian white wines that focus on a single grape variety, Etichetta Bianca is a blend of five different grapes.

And this is where Montecarlo's French influence becomes apparent.

The 2025 blend is composed of:

• 30% Trebbiano Toscano — Provides freshness, acidity, and a traditional Tuscan foundation.

• 20% Pinot Bianco — Adds texture, balance, and delicate fruit characteristics.

• 20% Sauvignon Blanc — Contributes aromatic intensity and citrus notes.

• 20% Sémillon — Adds body, roundness, and complexity.

• 10% Malvasia — Brings floral aromas and an additional layer of fragrance.

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That's a pretty interesting combination.

Trebbiano and Malvasia have long histories in Italian winemaking, while Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, and Sémillon reflect the French influence on Montecarlo's vineyards.

And the result is a wine that combines several different personalities into one bottle.

How It's Made

The winery takes an interesting approach to producing Etichetta Bianca.

Rather than fermenting all five grape varieties together, each is vinified separately in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wines are then blended before bottling.

That allows the winemaker to preserve the individual characteristics of each grape and adjust the final balance. The wine is also aged in stainless steel rather than oak.

That's important because the goal is to preserve freshness, fruit, and floral aromas without introducing vanilla, toast, or other flavors associated with barrel aging. And you can understand why when you look at the grape varieties involved. With Sauvignon Blanc, Malvasia, and Pinot Bianco contributing aromatic complexity, there's already plenty going on.

What's in the Glass

The winery describes Etichetta Bianca as a straw-yellow wine with fresh floral aromas, white fruit, and orange blossom. On the palate, it's crisp, lively, and pleasantly balanced.

The combination of grapes should create an interesting progression of flavors. Trebbiano provides the freshness. Sauvignon Blanc brings citrus and aromatic intensity.

Malvasia contributes floral notes. And Pinot Bianco and Sémillon help give the wine a little more substance.What impressed me during our tasting was how enjoyable the wine was as a complete package.

It wasn't simply a light, forgettable white wine.

It had enough character to make me pay attention.

And that's exactly what I look for when discovering something new.

I'd serve it around 46–50°F.

What I'd Eat with It

This is an incredibly versatile food wine.

My first choice would be a seafood antipasto.

Grilled shrimp, calamari, marinated octopus, and perhaps a little fresh mozzarella.

The acidity should work beautifully with seafood, while the floral and citrus notes complement lighter dishes.

I'd also pair it with:

• Linguine alle vongole — Clams, garlic, olive oil, and white wine.

• Branzino al forno — Whole roasted Mediterranean sea bass with lemon and herbs.

• Risotto primavera — A spring vegetable risotto with fresh herbs.

• Prosciutto e melone — A classic Italian combination of salty cured ham and sweet melon.

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And I wouldn't hesitate to enjoy a glass on its own before dinner.

It's that kind of wine.

Frank's Take

What I particularly enjoyed about Etichetta Bianca was discovering a Tuscan white wine that doesn't follow the usual expectations.When I think of Tuscany, I naturally think about Sangiovese. But here we have five different white grapes, including several with French origins, working together to create something distinctly local. That's the beauty of Italian wine. Even within a region as famous as Tuscany, there's always something new to discover.

And while I was impressed with this bottle, the next wine took things in an entirely different direction.

The Second Wine — Vasario 2023

Toscana IGT · 100% Pinot Bianco · 14.5% alcohol

Now we're getting into something a little different.

Our second bottle was the 2023 Vasario.

And unlike Etichetta Bianca, which combines five grape varieties, Vasario is made entirely from one grape.

100% Pinot Bianco.

That's Pinot Blanc in French.

It's a white grape variety closely related to Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio, and it's particularly associated with regions such as Alsace, Alto Adige, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

But here we are in Tuscany. And the winemakers at Tenuta del Buonamico have taken Pinot Bianco in a much richer, more structured direction.

A Different Approach to Winemaking

Here's where Vasario really separates itself from Etichetta Bianca.

While Etichetta Bianca is fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel, Vasario undergoes fermentation and aging in small French oak barrels. The winery uses oak from the Allier region of France. And the wine spends approximately eight months aging on its fine lees.

Now, if you're not familiar with the term lees, it's worth explaining. Lees are the spent yeast cells and other fine particles that remain after fermentation. Rather than immediately removing them, winemakers can allow the wine to remain in contact with these particles during aging. That contact can contribute additional texture, richness, and complexity.

But Vasario goes a step further. The winery uses a technique called bâtonnage.

That's the French term for periodically stirring the lees during aging. The process helps distribute the lees throughout the wine, increasing contact and contributing to a rounder, creamier mouthfeel. And when you combine that with French oak aging, you end up with a wine that has a very different personality from a crisp stainless-steel white.

This is a wine built for texture and complexity.

What's in the Glass

Pinot Bianco is often associated with delicate apple, pear, citrus, and floral characteristics.

But oak fermentation and lees aging can add another dimension.

The winery describes Vasario as having an intense bouquet, with a structured, elegant palate. In a wine made this way, I'd look for ripe orchard fruit, subtle vanilla, toasted notes, and a creamy texture. The oak shouldn't necessarily dominate. Ideally, it should complement the fruit and provide additional depth. And at 14.5% alcohol, this is a substantially richer white wine than many people might expect from Pinot Bianco.

It's also worth remembering that a fuller-bodied white wine doesn't have to be sweet.

Vasario is a dry wine, with its richness coming from the grape, fermentation, alcohol, and aging process.

That's an important distinction.

And it's one of the things that made this wine stand out during our tasting.

What I'd Eat with It

Vasario calls for something a little more substantial than the Etichetta Bianca.

I'd start with a creamy seafood risotto.

Something with shrimp, scallops, or perhaps lobster.

The wine's texture should complement the richness of the dish, while its acidity helps keep everything balanced.

Other pairings I'd consider:

• Chicken with a lemon cream sauce — Rich enough to match the wine's body.

• Lobster ravioli — Particularly with a light butter sauce.

• Mushroom risotto — Earthy flavors that can complement the oak-aged character.

• Roasted pork loin — With rosemary, garlic, and a little olive oil.

• Aged Parmigiano-Reggiano — A simple pairing that allows the wine's complexity to shine.

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And if I were preparing a special dinner at home, this is the bottle I'd be tempted to build the meal around.

Frank's Take

Vasario was another reminder of how much the winemaking process can influence the final wine. We often focus on the grape variety. And of course, that's important.

But fermentation vessels, oak aging, lees contact, and other winemaking decisions can dramatically change how a wine tastes and feels. Here we have Pinot Bianco, a grape that can produce light, delicate wines, transformed into something much more substantial.

And I found that particularly impressive. It's also interesting that both wines came from the same winery.

One is a fresh, aromatic blend of five grapes.

The other is a richer, oak-aged wine made from a single variety.

Two completely different approaches.

And both worked beautifully.

DOC Versus IGT — Another Interesting Comparison

There's one more detail worth mentioning.

The Etichetta Bianca is classified as Montecarlo DOC. The Vasario is classified as Toscana IGT. That might seem surprising. After all, Vasario is the more elaborate wine in terms of production methods. So why isn't it DOC? The answer comes down to Italian wine regulations. DOC wines must follow specific rules governing grape varieties, production areas, and other winemaking requirements. Montecarlo Bianco DOC is a regional designation with rules reflecting the area's traditional white wine production.

Vasario, on the other hand, is made entirely from Pinot Bianco and follows its own production philosophy. The Toscana IGT classification provides flexibility for a wine that doesn't fit the Montecarlo DOC requirements. And this is an important lesson.

IGT doesn't automatically mean lower quality than DOC.

Some of Italy's most celebrated wines have historically been produced under IGT classifications. The designation tells you something about the wine's geographical origin and production rules. It doesn't tell you whether you're going to enjoy it.

And after tasting these two wines, I can certainly appreciate both approaches.

Two Wines, One Memorable Visit

What made this experience special wasn't simply that we discovered two excellent white wines. It was the opportunity to visit a Tuscan winery with family. Having our cousin Grazia Lorenzetti take us to Tenuta del Buonamico made the experience that much more meaningful. And the wines were a wonderful surprise. The Etichetta Bianca showed us the fresh, aromatic side of Montecarlo, combining five different grape varieties into a balanced and enjoyable white wine. The Vasario demonstrated how a single grape, Pinot Bianco, can take on an entirely different personality through oak fermentation and extended lees aging.

One fresh and lively. The other rich and structured.

Both impressive. And both a reminder that Tuscany has much more to offer than its famous red wines. That's one of the things I love about traveling through Italy. You can visit a town you've never heard of, spend an afternoon at a winery with family, and come away having discovered wines you might never have encountered otherwise.

And those are often the bottles you remember.

Not just because of how they tasted.

But because of where you were, who you were with, and the memories that came along with them.

A special thanks to Grazia for introducing us to Tenuta del Buonamico.

It was a wonderful discovery.

And definitely a winery I'd enjoy visiting again.

Salute!

— Frank