Ferenc Máté Ferenc Máté is a Hungarian-born best-selling author who lives in a 13th-century friary on a working vineyard in Tuscany. His repertoire of jobs includes working on a railroad and on tugboats, and as a boat-builder, a photographer, a book editor, and a writer. Before settling down with his wife (a painter) at their vineyard in Tuscany, the couple spent 20 years living on sailboats, traveling the world, and researching ancient cultures for Ferenc’s historical fiction adventure series. Ferenc’s work has been featured in Travel + Leisure, Departures, and The New Yorker. He’s lived in Vancouver, Laguna Beach, Whistler, New York City, Paris, and Rome. In Ferenc’s book, “A Reasonable Life: Toward a Simpler, Secure More Humane Existence,” he discusses the negative impacts of our modern society and offers alternatives he’s learned from ancient cultures. Ferenc’s family winery, Mate Winery, crafts one of the world’s greatest varietals, Brunello di Montalcino.• Published 20 books, including best-sellers and a New York Times Notable Book• Owner of Mate Winery in Tuscany• Traveled the world for 20 years researching ancient cultures for a book series About Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, is a top travel media brand with a mission to inform and inspire passionate travelers. Our expert team includes a network of hundreds of writers and photographers across the globe, all providing a local eye on the best places to stay, eat, and explore. We reach an audience that takes 76 million round trips annually, offering valuable travel tips, ideas and inspiration, and products you need to get you to your destination — whether it’s a small town or big city, beach or lake, national park or theme park, road trip, cruise, or long-haul flight, and everything in between. Learn more about us and our editorial process