September 29, 2025

Welcome to Podere Lamberto

Podere Lamberto is a working farm, family home and guesthouse where the owners, Linda, Doug and AJ produce magnificent wine as well as delicious olive oil, both with full BIO/organic status. Linda, Doug and AJ hail from South Africa. They’ve worked hard not only to get their dream farm up and running but also to assimilate into their Italian community. It was actually Doug’s mother, Linda who discovered the farm in 2019 and now Doug, and his husband, AJ, manage the farm and all of its activities (which includes grapes, olives, plums, hazelnuts, truffles and the guesthouse).

Together, Doug and AJ have poured their hearts and souls into Podere Lamberto and, although at first, they (foolishly) thought they could do everything by themselves, they soon realized how impossible a task that would have been. Together with their small but amazing team, their years of hard work and determination have paid off — and you can be the benefactor of their loving labour because they’ve created the perfect hide-away in the beautiful hills of Tuscany that you can visit.

For Doug and AJ, the most important businesses on the farm are the wine and the agriturismo. But what, exactly, is agriturismo? Well, it’s a “farm-stay”…and possibly the best way to experience Italy’s countryside. An agriturismo is an independently-owned farm that offers accommodation. At Podere Lamberto you can expect home made breakfasts, and your room will be in the old farm house, or in the annex built nearby. Doug and AJ know that there are many agriturismos in Italy that may be more luxurious, or in better locations, and may offer more in terms of activities, so their unique approach is to make people feel welcome and at home. Their philosophy is that Podere Lamberto is your home away from home, and they want you to be as comfortable as possible. Being travelers themselves, Doug and AJ know that vacations/holidays don’t come often for most people, so regardless if someone stays for 2 days or 2 weeks, they will make them feel as welcome as possible. The fantastic ratings on Booking.com and Google Reviews prove their outstanding hospitality. Breakfast can be included in your stay and as much as possible, Doug bakes the breads himself while AJ and Silvia (the previous owner who still works with them) takes care of the desserts using flour from local producers. They’re always on the hunt for ways to use local produce and to source organic products where possible. You will not be disappointed.

For the vineyard and wine making, Doug and AJ again strive to do as much as possible themselves, and to stay as involved in every aspect as they can. Their biggest vineyard is 1,5 hectares and is currently the only vineyard in production. It consists mainly of Sangiovese, but has 12 rows of Merlot, and a small amount of Colorino, Mammolo and Canaiolo. The wines, along with everything else on the farm, is fully organic, plus Doug and AJ have an agronomist and an oenologist on hand to ensure that their wine is of the utmost quality. Podere Lamberto currently offers three different wines: a Nobile di Montepulciano (DOCG), a Rosso di Montepulciano (DOC) and a Colline (IGT), which is 100% Merlot. The Merlot is only sold on site at the farm. Every year is different due to the harvest and weather conditions, but usually, they produce about 4500 bottles of wine per year. If all goes well, 2025 will be the first year where Podere Lamberto might produce more than 5000 bottles. (There are some tasting notes included in the technical sheets (below) for those wine connoisseurs who want to know more).

Lastly, Podere Lamberto farm/guesthouse offers easy access to explore the rest of Tuscany. The beautiful sea-side towns of Castiglione della Pescaia, Punta Ala, Baratti beach, and Argentario are all within reach by car. The world famous towns of Siena and Florence are also close by. Those who love Tuscany know that it holds many beautiful hilltop towns, is rich in arts and culture, has antique markets to explore, and a multitude of spa and wellness facilities. The nearby, Chianciano Terme boasts healing waters and mud and has several therapeutic resorts/spas offering different treatments that use the region’s fertile mud. Then there is Montepulciano, founded in the 3rd century BC and steeped in history. Montepulciano sits on a hilltop just 7 kilometres away from the farmhouse and the beautiful clock-tower, main piazza and the gorgeous Palazzo Communale are worth a visit. On top of that all that, there is the world famous food and wine of Tuscany, plus the countryside is so picturesque you’ll feel as if you’re in a movie.

Bookings for 2026 at Podere Lamberto will only open officially in December, so for now, if you want to book for the 2026 season, you can contact AJ and Doug directly via mail or on their Social Media channels, and contacting them now will mean locking in 2025 prices for a 2026 holiday.

As for their wine, Doug and AJ are offering SoCal readers a 15% discount on wine orders (orders need to be multiples of 3 and unfortunately they can’t cover the shipping costs, but will give you a quote before sending the wine).

Sales of the wine can be done directly via these communication channels: Mention SoCal to get your 15% off.