Montevertine 'Le Pergole Torte' Toscana IGT 2021

Inhabited since the 11th century, the hilltop hamlet long served as a rural defensive fortress until it was abandoned and then acquired by Sergio Manetti in 1967 as a vacation home for his family. Planning to make a small amount of wine for family and friends, Signor Manetti planted 2 ha of vineyards and built a small cantina. After rapid success and acclaim Signor Ma- netti decided to devote himself entirely to producing wine at his estate, doing so with vigor until 2000. After Sergio Manetti’s death, Montevertine passed into the hands of his son Martino and Paolo Salvi, protégé of longtime estate oenologist Giulio Gambelli.

Montevertine counts 18 ha of vines, divided into 9 separate parcels, with the oldest vines planted in the Pergole Torte parcel in 1968. Nine tenths of the vineyard is planted to Sangiovese, the remainder dedicated to Colorino and Canaiolo. By 1981, due to Signor Manetti’s refusal to incorporate Trebbiano into the Montevertine blend, Montevertine left the Chianti Classico consortium, thereby forgoing the Chianti Classico denomination. Because of this history, Montevertine is frequently, but erroneously, included in the category of “super-Tuscan” wine. In fact, Montevertine’s policy of strict reliance on Sangiovese with a small complement of Colorino and Canaiolo is in direct contradiction to the approach of super-Tuscan estates, which purposely include non-local grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot in their blends. Despite the formal lack of the appellation, Montevertine is one of the rare examples of a true Chianti Classico.

The prestige wine of Montevertine is only produced in outstanding vintages. This ultimate wine is aged in large Slavonian oak barrels for 18 months and then racked into small French oak (Allier) barrels for the final six month stage of its élevage. It is produced primarily from a two hectare vineyard planted in 1968 exclusively to Sangiovese vines with a north-northeast exposure.

"Black cherry, black truffle and bark. Fresh earth and pine cone. It’s medium-bodied with extremely integrated tannins that are so vivid and so pure, like essence of Sangiovese. Strength with balance. Best in three to four years." - 99 Points, James Suckling

Producer: Azienda Agricola Montevertine

Country: Italy

Region: Tuscany

Varietal:  Sangiovese

Appellation: Toscana IGT

Vintage: 2021

Size: 750ml