Montonale: A tale of tradition and innovation in Lugana
On the southern shores of Lake Garda, where the scenic beauty of Brescia meets Verona, lies the enchanting region of Lugana—a land where vineyards reign supreme. Montonale is nestled in this picturesque landscape, offering a serene escape for those who venture beyond the bustling lakeside into the rolling hills. The vineyards here benefit from a unique microclimate, thanks to the lake’s moderating influence and the cooling winds, Ora and Pelèr, which enhance the aromatic complexity of the grapes while ensuring their health.
Montonale’s story is steeped in history, with roots stretching back to ancient times when the land was part of the Selva Lucana forest. The soil, rich in limestone clay, owes its origins to the last Ice Age, which also gave birth to Lake Garda. This fertile ground has been home to vineyards for centuries, producing wines that, according to legend, were enjoyed by the Roman poet Catullus and the Ostrogoth king Theodatus.
The modern chapter of Montonale began in the early 20th century when Francesco Girelli tilled two hectares of land in Desenzano del Garda, planting Turbiana, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. His son Aldo expanded the family’s vineyards, cultivating Turbiana, Barbera, and Marzemino, and sharing the wines with customers across the Alpine regions. The tradition nearly came to an end when, in 1998, most of the vineyards were uprooted, and the last harvest seemed to mark the closure of a family legacy. However, hope was rekindled when Luciano Girelli, the next in line, was granted two hectares of vineyard by a great-uncle. With renewed passion, Luciano’s son, Roberto Girelli, along with his brothers Claudio and Valentino, revived the family tradition, setting Montonale on its current path of excellence.
At a glance
Region: Lombardia (Lugana, Lake Garda)
Winemaker: Roberto Girelli
Known For: Elevating Lugana through age-worthy wines and exceptional expressions of Turbiana
Wine Style: Elegant, mineral-driven wines with freshness, depth, and remarkable aging potential
Philosophy: Respect the identity of Turbiana and express the unique character of the Lugana terroir through meticulous craftsmanship
Production: Family-owned estate led by the Girelli brothers, focused on small-lot, terroir-driven wines
Sustainability: Vineyard-first approach with careful selection, indigenous yeasts in key wines, and minimal intervention to preserve authenticity
Imported by: Porcalorca
Founded by the Girelli family and led by Roberto Girelli, Montonale has become one of Lugana's most respected estates, producing wines that redefine the potential of the region's native Turbiana grape and demonstrate exceptional capacity for aging.
The People Behind the Wine: The Girelli Family’s Passion
Roberto Girelli, the driving force behind Montonale, grew up amidst the aromas of the family’s cellar. In 2002, at just 20 years old, he oversaw his first harvest and soon after bottled 800 bottles under the Girelli label, which were eagerly purchased by family friends. Determined to deepen his knowledge, Roberto enrolled in the Faculty of Viticulture and Oenology in Verona. The first Montonale Lugana was born from the 2004 harvest, and by 2005, the family had expanded their vineyard with five more hectares of Turbiana and other red grape varieties.
Today, Roberto is joined by his brothers: Claudio, who manages the estate’s finances, and Valentino, who oversees the vineyards. Together, the Girelli brothers share a common goal—to redefine the future of Lugana wines. For them, Turbiana is more than just a refreshing wine to enjoy by the lake; it is a grape capable of producing age-worthy wines that evolve over time, revealing unexpected layers of complexity.
Winemaking philosophy: Embracing tradition and sustainability
Montonale’s vineyards cover 35 hectares around the winery, rooted in clay-rich, calcareous soils that imbue the grapes with a remarkable minerality, finesse, and aromatic depth. Each variety is planted in the soil best suited to its needs, with vines trained in a modified Guyot system to optimize sun exposure and grape quality. Valentino Girelli has committed to integrated farming practices, using natural fertilizers and encouraging grass growth between the rows. During the growing season, careful thinning and leaf removal ensure only the finest grapes are harvested, sometimes reducing the crop by up to 50% in challenging years.
The harvest is entirely manual, stretching from late September to the end of October, with multiple passes through the vineyard to select only perfectly ripe clusters.
The Cellar: A blend of innovation and respect for the grapes
Montonale’s winery is a model of sustainability, built with rice straw walls that provide natural insulation and ensure a healthy microclimate. A 96kW photovoltaic system powers the winery, making it energy-self-sufficient and significantly reducing its carbon footprint. Inside, state-of-the-art equipment, including a double-membrane press, a de-stemmer, and temperature-controlled tanks, are used with precision to respect the integrity of the grapes.
Indigenous yeasts are used for fermentation, highlighting the terroir's influence on the wine. Extended aging on fine lees enhances the wines' aromas, resulting in allergen-free wines with low sulfite content, which are cherished even by sensitive palates.
The Wines: Elegance and complexity in every bottle
Montonale’s wines truly reflect their terroir, with Turbiana playing the starring role. The estate’s flagship Lugana wines are known for their vibrant acidity, mineral backbone, and ability to age gracefully, developing complex tertiary notes that surprise and delight over time.
Looking to the future: A vision of excellence
The Girelli family’s vision for Montonale is clear—they aim to continue elevating the profile of Lugana wines, demonstrating that Turbiana is capable of producing world-class wines with depth, character, and longevity. With a deep respect for their heritage and a commitment to sustainable practices, the Girellis are ensuring that Montonale will remain a beacon of excellence in Lugana for generations to come.
"At Montonale, we craft our wines with the same care and passion as our ancestors, honoring the land and the traditions of Lugana. We invite you to experience the elegance and complexity of our wines, each bottle a testament to our family’s legacy and the unique terroir of this beautiful region."
— Girelli family
Marco’s personal notes
On the first evening of a business trip to Thailand, my colleagues from the Bangkok office invited me to dinner at an Italian restaurant. Usually, when I’m far from home, I prefer to explore local flavours rather than indulge in Italian cuisine. But that night, I was pleasantly surprised by the food quality. After ten days of intense Indian cuisine, that meal was a true relief—a comforting return to something familiar.
Lake Garda was already a region Jeanette and I intended to include in the Porcalorca project. But after that evening, it became clear that this wine was the perfect expression of Lugana we wanted to bring to Denmark.
There was an immediate and natural connection when we shared our project with Claudio. He listened attentively at first, and then he began to share his story—the story of his family and their wines. His wines are elegant, refined, and clean in aroma, and once on the palate, they unfold with a smoothness that evokes the land from which they are born. These wines don’t need to be described; they introduce themselves when you taste them.
“My mission,” Claudio told us, “is to grow a perfect fruit in the vineyard, harvest it, and in the cellar, try to take as little away as possible from the miracle that is the grape so that all the potential of those berries is expressed in the wine.” This is his philosophy, simple yet powerful.
He also spoke about the shared challenge of helping people understand how much work and dedication go into a glass of wine and how the culture of appreciating excellent wine at a fair price is still not widespread.
After several hours of exchanging ideas, opinions, and stories about Garda and the land of Lugana, we parted ways with the understanding that we have much work ahead to honor the efforts of Claudio and his brothers, Roberto and Valentino.
Here at Porcalorca, we proudly offer a wide selection of Montonale wines. We firmly believe that they are a true excellence that deserves to be known and appreciated by the refined palates of wine lovers in Denmark.
Featured Products
CABERNET SAUVIGNON & MERLOT - LOMBARDIA
The La Conta vineyard is the company's first property, where great-grandfather Francesco Girelli began cultivating Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the early twentieth century. Exposure and soil composition make it perfect for red wines with great structure and longevity: hence the intent to produce a wine that is the maximum expression of the two grape varieties in an extraordinary vineyard.
Grape variety
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot.
Vineyards of origin
La Conta, 2.5 hectares south-west of the village of Montonale with excellent southern exposure.
Soil: moraine, with the presence of pebbles giving draining capacity and stones that allow the accumulation of heat, favoring the ripening of the grapes.
Training system: Guyot, 5/6 buds per plant.
Season in the field: the cold and rainy spring caused a postponement of the start of ripening of the grapes, thus arriving at phenological ripening in an optimal period and preserving all the aromatic precursors in the best possible way. This is also reflected in a strong balance between acidity and alcohol. The harvest, carried out by hand in crates, took place around the end of September.
Average yield: 50 q/ha.
Vinification
After harvesting, the Merlot is left to dry for about 40 days until the harvest of the Cabernet Sauvignon. When ripe, the bunches of Cabernet Sauvignon are combined with the dried Merlot bunches and are crushed and destemmed. This is followed by fermentation at a controlled temperature that lasts about 12 days, with frequent pumping over and daily délestage. Racking then takes place and only the fraction of wine thus obtained is used, avoiding pressing to preserve quality.
Aging: malolactic fermentation is carried out in steel, followed by aging for at least 12 months in 500-liter French oak tonneau and then about 12 months in the bottle
Tasting notes
Ruby red colour with slight garnet reflections. The nose is persuasive and intense, with a wide range of aromas: hints of ripe fruit, black cherry, berries jam, notes of pepper, a slight balsamic hint. On the palate there is great structure, enriched by silky and enveloping tannins, a splendid balance between acidity and alcoholic warmth and a spicy return to embellish the finish.
Pairings
Ideal for roasted and spit-roasted meats, braised meats, noble poultry and game, long-aged cheeses. Try it with the "osei scapè", a traditional Garda lake local recipe.
Alcohol content and serving temperature
Alcohol content: 15% Vol.
Serving Temperature: 16 - 18 °C.
End
LOMBARDIA
Montunal was born from the selection of the best bunches of Turbiana and takes its name from the village that houses the winery and vineyards, Montonale, Montunal in the local dialect. It represents the authentic expression of the native grape variety, which here reveals all its personality.
Grape variety
100% Turbiana.
Vineyards of origin
We select the ideal grapes for this wine from all the company's vineyards in the village of Montonale, exposed to excellent and constant ventilation that allows the perfect ripening of the bunches.
Soil: clayey, calcareous and rich in minerals.
Training system: espalier with Guyot pruning, 5/6 buds per plant.
Season in the field: late start, but regular budding and abundant flowering. The abundant spring rains have sometimes weakened the fruit set; however, this availability of water has allowed a good development of the vines and counteracted the progressive water shortage in the summer months. The manual stripping in the bunch strip has preserved the health of the bunches. Despite the high temperatures at the end of summer, the harvest began 2 weeks later than in 2017. The harvest, carried out by hand in crates, began at the end of September and ended in mid-October.
Average yield: 100 q/ha.
Vinification
The bunches are selected and cooled before pressing, in order to preserve the aromatic precursors as much as possible. A soft pressing then takes place in the absence of oxygen, to avoid oxidation of the noble components of the grapes. We select only the fraction of the free-run must, obtained at very low and delicate pressures; We let it clear by natural decantation and ferment for about 10 days in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. The wine matures for at least 6 months on the noble lees with constant bâtonnage (resuspension of the fine lees). This is followed by a short aging in the bottle.
Tasting notes
Intense and brilliant straw yellow color. The nose expresses floral and fruity notes in which aromas of white peach and lemon peel dominate, with balsamic hints of thyme and sage and intriguing mineral hints of damp stone typical of the most personal Lugana. In the mouth it reveals a perfect balance between freshness and structure, with a pleasant mineral flavor that gives depth and persistence.
Pairings
Perfect as an aperitif, it goes well with baked, grilled or boiled fish dishes, in particular preparations based on lake fish such as trout, perch and whitefish. Try it with herring alla gardesana, a traditional Garda lake local dish.
Alcohol content and serving temperature
Alcohol content: 13.5 % Vol.
Serving Temperature: 10 - 12 °C.
End
LOMBARDIA
A limited and exclusive production of an exceptional and surprising wine that can be compared to the finest French whites. Lugana Orestilla comes from the grapes of the vineyard of the same name, so called because in the seventeenth century the precious marble ark dedicated to the Roman matron Orestilla was found there. Thanks to the particular mixture of the soil that houses the vineyard, the grapes give rise to a rich, ample Lugana with great longevity.
Grape variety
100% Turbiana.
Vineyards of origin
Orestilla, 2 hectares in the village of Montonale, with a fortunate southern exposure and constant ventilation that allows the perfect ripening of the bunches.
Soil: clayey-tenacious, calcareous and rich in minerals.
Training system: Guyot, 5/6 buds per plant.
Season in the field: the cool and late spring led to a regular but delayed budding, which lengthened the ripening time of the bunches. The rest of the summer proved to be climatically favorable, without the dreaded heat peaks. The harvest, carried out by hand in crates in two steps, began on September 20th and ended on October 20th. Thanks to the achievement of perfect ripeness and an optimal physiological balance of the berries, we can say with certainty that the 2021 vintage is to be recorded as one of the best in the last decade.
Average yield: 90 q/ha.
Vinification
The bunches are selected and cooled before pressing, to preserve the aromatic precursors as much as possible. A soft pressing then takes place in the absence of oxygen, to avoid oxidation of the noble components of the grapes; only the fraction of the free-run must, obtained at very delicate pressures, is selected. The must is clarified by natural decantation, and ferments for about 10 days in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. The wine matures 8 months on the noble lees with constant bâtonnage and continues to age in the bottle for at least 10 months.
Tasting notes
Straw yellow color with strong golden reflections. The nose captivates with its notes of sweet citrus, pineapple and yellow peach, which are flanked by intense sensations of aromatic herbs and wet stone minerals. All this is confirmed on the palate: the sip is juicy and rich in acidic freshness, the notes of pineapple and thyme refer to what is perceived on the nose, the marked mineral flavor accompanies the long and complex finish.
Pairings
Perfect with fish soups, shellfish and stewed and grilled fish preparations. Try it with the typical aolette of Garda in carpione.
Alcohol content and serving temperature
Alcohol content: 13.5% Vol.
Serving Temperature: 10 - 12 °C (we also recommend to tasting Orestilla at 14 - 16°C to observe its evolution in the glass).
End