Ambra and Franco Tiraboschi started making wine in 1992, almost by accident. Franco’s background is in real estate and when he and Ambra encountered this property for sale, it seemed too good to pass up. But when harvest time came that year, they couldn’t find a buyer for the grapes, so they decided to make their own wine. The rest is history.

The 30 to 40 year old vines are planted on 18 ha of land, rich with the distinctive white clay of Lugana that was once a part of the lake bed. The dried lakebed soil imparts a distinctive minerality to the wines. Their vines are all organically farmed, but they are not pursuing certification simply because they do not want to deal with the bureaucratic headache.

The mainstay of their production, the Lugana DOC, is a crisp, medium-weight white redolent of stone fruits, green almond, lemon pith, and white flowers. The Lugana “Riserva del Lupo” is made from a selection of later harvested grapes and frequently exhibits luscious and exotic botrytis-related flavors despite being dry on the palate.  These wines are among Italy’s longest-lived whites. They also produce a small quantity of “Tur Blanc” metodo classico sparkling wine from 100% Turbiana, aged 48 months on the lees and finished with zero dosage. The Tiraboschi’s passion and dedication shines so vibrantly in their wines and care for the estate, you would never know this is a second career for the couple.