Villa Le Prata: a timeless embrace of Montalcino

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of visiting Villa Le Prata, a small yet profoundly expressive winery nestled in the heart of Montalcino. The visit was made memorable not only by the wines themselves but by the warm, genuine hospitality of Edoardo, the new generation leading the winery, who welcomed me with that effortless Tuscan grace that makes you immediately feel at home. As we walked through the vineyards and cellars, Edoardo spoke with the calm confidence of someone deeply rooted in the land, yet fully aware of the responsibility that comes with guiding a new generation. His philosophy was clear: minimal impact in the vineyard and the cellar, to bring the healthiest grapes possible to the winery, preserving the authentic soul of Sangiovese. Also a great feel of responsibility to biodiversity: I could see his passion for creating a diverse space accompanying the vineyards. In between you could see spots of beautiful fruit trees everywhere. This idea of gentle transition from one generation to the next, while staying true to the land, was beautifully mirrored in the wines we tasted together — from their IGT Tirso to three compelling expressions of Brunello, culminating in a 2019 Brunello di Montalcino that completely stole my heart.

The intriguing story of Villa Le Prata

Villa Le Prata began its journey not as a winery but as an aristocratic hunting lodge, built in 1860 by Count De’ Vecchi. Its noble aura remains intact, standing amid centuries-old oaks and cypresses that frame the villa with a natural, almost regal grace. The transformation into a winemaking estate is a relatively recent chapter. In 1980, Dr. Massimo Losappio, a distinguished neurosurgeon with a profound passion for Brunello, acquired the property together with his wife Marialuce. It was their shared dream to turn this historic villa into a place dedicated to the culture of wine. They restored the vineyards and focused exclusively on Sangiovese, establishing Villa Le Prata as a boutique producer with uncompromising standards.

Today, under the attentive eye of their son Edoardo, the estate embraces sustainable practices and even more meticulous vineyard care, all while remaining true to the spirit of its founders.

The territory: Montalcino’s north-east

Villa Le Prata sits about 5 km north-east of Montalcino, at an altitude of roughly 500 meters above sea level. This is a privileged position that benefits from cooler temperatures, excellent diurnal shifts, and constant ventilation — conditions that allow Sangiovese to ripen slowly and maintain vibrant acidity, crucial for the elegance and longevity typical of great Brunello. The soils here are a mix of galestro (schistous clay) and alberese (limestone), lending both structure and finesse to the wines. This corner of Montalcino is known for producing particularly aromatic, refined expressions of Sangiovese, with firm yet polished tannins.

The wines of Villa Le Prata

During my tasting with Edoardo, we explored not only the classic Rosso and Brunello, but also the estate’s fascinating range of single-vineyard selections and unique expressions of Sangiovese that reveal just how multifaceted this terroir can be. Each wine spoke with its own voice, yet all carried that same thread of elegance, precision, and authenticity.

Tirso

We began with Tirso, their IGT Toscana made entirely from Sangiovese, sourced from younger vines across the estate’s holdings. It’s the most immediate and lively interpretation of their vineyards — Tirso makes whole bunch vinification and only 6 months in steel without wood. Here you can feel the new wave Edoardo has brought in the winery.In the glass, Tirso offered a brilliant ruby color, with bright aromas of sour cherry, a touch of cranberry. On the palate it was fresh, with crisp acidity and a savory finish that left a subtle fruity echo of bitter orange. Edoardo explained that this is the wine where they allow Sangiovese’s natural vibrancy to shine with minimal adornment — it’s cheerful, versatile, and speaks directly of Montalcino’s hills.

Vigna Le Prata 2018

Moving to more structured territory, we tasted the Vigna Le Prata 2018, a single-vineyard Brunello from the estate’s parcel planted in 1988. This plot sits at around 507 meters, with a northwest exposure that preserves freshness even in warmer vintages. The soils are a mix of reddish Pliocene clays and limestone fragments, giving the wine both aromatic lift and a savory spine.The 2018 poured a medium garnet, opening with delicate notes of dried cherry, violet, and gentle balsamic hints. On the palate, it was graceful yet persistent, with velvety tannins. Compared to more robust Brunellos, what struck me most was its finesse — a wine that whispered rather than shouted, but lingered long after the sip.

Vigna San Prospero 2019

Next came the Vigna San Prospero 2019, from a southwest-facing plot planted in 1998 on clay-limestone soils at about 495 meters. The slightly richer soils here and the exposure to the warm afternoon sun give this wine a touch more body and mid-palate density. The nose was beautifully expressive — ripe cherry, wild strawberry, hints of blood orange peel. On the palate: pure freshness. It balanced juicy red fruit with polished tannins and a mineral edge that gave it energy and drive. This is a Brunello that feels particularly complete already, with all its elements seamlessly integrated.

Vigna Vescovo 2020

Then we explored a glimpse of the future with Vigna Vescovo 2020, from the estate’s youngest parcel planted in 2017. It’s a tiny vineyard, less than a hectare, on pebbly sandy-clay soils with excellent drainage, at over 515 meters. Though young, this vineyard shows incredible promise.I believe 2020 has a great evolution to offer. It had a vibrant aromatic profile: crushed raspberry, and a faint saline note that seemed to carry the cool breezes of its high-altitude site. On the palate it was very fresh and you could feel the tannins predominantly. Edoardo is especially excited about this vineyard’s future, seeing it as an emerging jewel in their mosaic of terroirs.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2019

Finally, we returned to the estate’s classic Brunello di Montalcino 2019, a harmonious blend of their various parcels, each vinified separately before aging for around 42 months in a combination of large Slavonian oak casks and some French tonneaux. The result was a wine that seemed to synthesize all the personalities of their land into a quintessential expression of Montalcino.The 2019 was immediately captivating, with aromas of dried violets, crushed cherry, a hint of truffle and subtle notes of sweet licorice. On the palate it was full yet composed, with fine, silky tannins supporting flavors of ripe red berries, savory herbs and a lingering echo of iron-rich earth. There was an almost architectural precision to its structure, each element perfectly in place, leading to a long, savory, mouthwatering finish.

A shared philosophy

What tied all these wines together — from the vibrant Tirso to the profound single-vineyard Brunellos — was a clear philosophy of minimal intervention and utmost respect for Sangiovese’s voice. Edoardo spoke passionately about limiting treatments in the vineyard, harvesting by hand at optimal ripeness, and guiding each parcel separately in the cellar to let its unique character shine. As Edoardo mentions:

“The spirit with which the wines are made is not to set an oenological objective based on our taste or the trend of the moment but based on the observation of the vineyard and understanding its vocation, trying to respect its identity. For this reason we obtain wines that are also very different from each other, such as Vigna Le Prata (much finer and more vertical) and Vigna San Prospero (darker and more structured). Nature is the protagonist of the process, we are at most the “active spectators” who make this process possible.”

A final sip

Visiting Villa Le Prata was not just a tasting but a small journey into the soul of Montalcino. Edoardo’s passion and his family’s respectful stewardship of the land shine clearly through every glass. There’s a quiet confidence here — no flashy international styles, just pure, honest Sangiovese, shaped by altitude, wind, and stone.If you’re traveling through Montalcino, I can’t recommend enough a stop at Villa Le Prata. And if you come across their Brunello 2019 — do yourself a favor and bring it home. It might just capture your heart as it did mine.