Rising above Lugano at 425 metres above sea level, MONCUCCHETTO overlooks the city much as medieval castles once overlooked their towns. Like a precious pearl set within the urban landscape, it sits between Lake Lugano and Lake Muzzano, surrounded by peaks with magnificent panoramic views.
The story began in 1960, when the Lucchini family produced its first wine: an impressive 1,000 bottles in that first vintage. The original equipment, including an old 1,700-kg wooden vat, two casks and two small presses, is still kept in a room set aside as a small museum. In 2009 the estate was completely transformed with a new winery designed by architect Mario Botta. Botta reworked the relationship between the building and the hillside to create a new landscape ensemble, where architecture and vineyard meet in balance.
At Moncucchetto, wine is seen as a synthesis of land and human labour. Fermentation takes place in steel tanks on the ground floor. The wines then age in barriques in the underground barrel cellar, where exposed bedrock recalls the estate’s bond with the land. Throughout the year, by appointment, Moncucchetto welcomes wine lovers to its tasting room to discover the estate and its wines.