Monastero Suore Cistercensi

Since the early 1990s, the nuns of Monastero Suore Cistercensi have organically farmed five hectares of vines in Vitorchiano, about ninety minutes north of Rome in the Lazio district. In the early 2000s, with the assistance Giampiero Bea, son and successor to the celebrated Paolo Bea. The sisters began to hone their craft and find a much larger audience for their unique wines, all while maintaining an exceptionally low-tech, hands-off approach to winemaking. Their harvests are only done by hand (with all 70 nuns at the convent sharing in the labor), and the fermentations are always spontaneous.

They use only estate fruit, working mostly with Malvasia, Trebbiano, and Verdicchio — as well as small amounts of Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo, and Merlot — all grown organically on volcanic soils and manually-harvested. The wines share Bea's rare combination of wildness and elegance. They are unique, fun and playful, while still showing off serious skill as well as the viticultural heritage of southern Italy.