It had been a long time that I had wanted to go to Radda in Chianti to visit Martino Manetti, owner of the “Montevertine” winery. The company was created by Sergio, Martino’s father. Sergio came from the steel industry, he had created an important company in Poggibonsi called Elsasider. In 1967 Sergio bought a farm in Radda in Chianti, at a time when there was the abandonment of sharecropping. Sergio’s idea, with the purchase of Montevertine was to make a wine for family and friends. To do this, Sergio asked his close friend Giulio Gambelli for advice on how to plant the vineyard and make wine. The first vintage produced was in 1971.
The hand and advice of Giulio, the altitude of the vineyards, 300 meters above sea level, the land, have ensured that the wines were immediately fine and elegant. Both Giulio and Sergio have never thought of making improvements. Giulio, to decide when to harvest, went to the vineyard, tasted the grapes, in various parts of the vineyard, feeling the pulp, the skin, and the grape seed which had to be crunchy and the tannins which should not have been bitter. If everything was in order he proceeded with the harvest. Martino has always followed, with interest, what both Giulio and his father, Martino, did in the company, jokingly baptized Giulio “the man of the mountain”. When he arrived in Montevertine he went to the vineyard and tasted the grapes and gave his consent to the harvest.
Martino remembers well when Giulio, after only two days of fermenting the wine, was able to understand what it would be like. In November 2000, Sergio Manetti passed away prematurely and Martino felt strongly responsible for being able to continue making the wine his father wanted. Martino obviously continued to avail himself of Giulio’s advice, until his death on 03 January 2012.
Martino subsequently made use of the advice of Giulio’s pupil, the oenologist Paolo Salvi, who, in my opinion, has an excellent nose. Sometimes, taken by the enthusiasm of hearing his wines, I tell Martino that certain vintages he produced are better than certain wines of the 90s. To this statement Martino denies all this, out of respect for his father.
The total vineyard area of Montevertine is approximately 18 hectares.
“Le pergole torte” was planted in 1968 on an area of 2 hectares, facing north and north-east;
“Montevertine” was planted in 1982 and partially replanted in 2008, with an area of 2.5 hectares, facing South East – East.
“Il Sodaccio” was planted in 1972 and subsequently replanted, in its entirety, in 2000, with an area of 1.5 hectares, facing South East;
“il Casino” was planted in 1999, with an area of 2 hectares, facing South;
“Selvole” was planted in 1997, with an area of 3.5 hectares and facing South East and South.
“Pian del Ciampolo” was planted in 2003 with an area of 1.5 hectares and facing West and North West;
“La Casa” vineyards planted partly in 2000 and partly in 2008, with an area of 1 hectare and facing South;
“Bozzo ai Colli” was planted in 2000, with an area of 2 hectares and facing South and West.
“Villanuova” was re-planted in 2010 with an area of 1.3 hectares and facing South.
90% of Sangiovese is produced by the company while 10% is made up of Colorino and Canaiolo.
The soils are rich in iron minerals, and Alberese rock and reach an altitude of 450 meters above sea level, composed of clays, sands, silt, marl and limestone.
The red wines produced are the Pergole Torte made from 100% Sangiovese grapes.
The wine is aged for about 12 months in Slovenian oak barrels and 12 months in Allier barriques.
The second wine is Montevertine, made up of 90% Sangiovese, 5% of Colorino and 5% of Canaiolo and is aged for about 24 months in Slovenian oak barrels. The third wine is Pian del Ciampolo, produced from Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino grapes aged in oak barrels for about 12 months. Having made this necessary premise, I move on to narrate what happened.
Days ago I contacted Martino to be able to make a vertical of “Pergole Torte” from the 2009 vintage to the 2017 vintage.
I remember well the 2001 vintage, which I liked very much, the 2003 with slightly ripe grapes for the hot year, the 2004 beautiful vintage, well balanced wine, the 2006 with a bit of alcohol pungency, the 2007 that I was loved for its gustatory balance, the 2008 similar to 2007 but with more structure. Then I remembered 2009 and 2010 with a bit of a fluctuating effect between alcohol and freshness. This was an opportunity to experience certain vintages with absolute attention. Martino, available as always, organized this tasting which was attended by Martino, Sergio Antonini, Tancredi Reimitz, Martino’s nephew, the oenologist Paolo Salvi, successor of Giulio Gambelli, and myself. As always, before starting a tasting I am full of tension because for me it is always a strong emotion. During the tasting I close in on myself, not caring if the other tasters talk to each other. I must say that I remembered well what I had perceived gustatively at different times when I had tasted the various vintages.
All the vintages tasted except 2012, for me of course, had a fantastic violet on the nose and 2016 also an explosion of violet on the palate. In all vintages the wine had an incredible drinkability. The 2009 and 2010 tastes had a little fluctuating effect between alcohol and freshness. The 2011 was a little more structured than the 2009 and 2010 and with greater gustatory balance, but with a little dry tannins. The 2012 had a slightly more austere nose with notes of worked leather and ink and not so wide tannins. The 2013 is grandiose with an intense and long finish of violet. The 2014 with a nice nose, but a little tight tannins (not an easy vintage). The 2015 is fantastic with a violet finish. 2016, for me the best vintage, with almost completely wide tannins and an interminable persistence of violet. In my opinion, 2017 was affected by the not easy vintage with a little acetic acid taste that I also felt in the 2014 vintage. This flavor is typical of Pian del Ciampolo except for the 2015 vintage which did not have it. 2017 is full of freshness and the body of the wine is medium enough but, for me, it cannot be approached to 2016, 2015 and 2013 as some critic journalists have done. It was a great experience. I was pleased to do this tasting with Paolo Salvi who has an excellent sense of smell and with Tancredi who takes care of the commercial aspect of the company.
Let’s examine, carefully, the wines tasted, starting with my way of feeling the tannins. As for the width of the tannin, it is important that you make the following clarifications, so that it can be understood. I feel the tannin of the wine on the upper gum. The total width of the tannin is 6/6, therefore the entire width of the upper gum. Obviously, if the tannin is less broad, it could be for example 5/6 and so on. The width of the tannin is important when the quality of the same is of good or high level. If the tannin is broader, the more the wine is worthy of attention, but the tannin, as I have specified, must in any case be of good quality.
Let’s now pass to describe the wines tasted.
AZIENDA AGRICOLA MONTEVERTINE
PERGOLE TORTE vintage 2009
Toscana IGT
Quite intense ruby red color.
Complex and varied nose, from the glass rise aromas of cherries in alcohol, mint, eucalyptus, tow drenched in wine, black pepper, nutmeg, rosemary, violet soap, bay leaf, sage, hard almond shell, straw, white dried fig , jute, ending with puffs of helichrysum (licorice).
On the palate the wine is savory and mineral.
The body is medium fine. Slight gustatory swing between alcohol and freshness even if the wine is endowed with a generous freshness. Sweet taste reminiscent of the outside of the sugared almond. The tannins are sweet, fairly broad (5 / 6–), initially velvety and then dry the upper gum a little. Its intense aromatic persistence is long.
Interesting and varied wine from an olfactory point of view.
On the palate the wine is not perfectly balanced.
(90/100)
PERGOLE TORTE vintage 2010
Toscana IGT
Ruby red color with a slightly orange edge.
On the nose it is an explosion of violet and violet soap followed by cherry, mint, eucalyptus, toasted peanut, hairy red peach, black pepper, nutmeg, chamois leather, rust, to finish with hints reminiscent of peeled tomatoes.
The taste is medium fine. Sapid and mineral wine, not perfectly balanced with a slight fluctuating effect between alcohol and freshness, even if the latter is rather generous and pleasant. The tannins are sweet, fairly broad (5/6), initially both silky and velvety and then make the upper gum burn a little. Its persistence is long with a violet finish.
In my opinion, the alcohol that is perceived in 2010 is slightly higher than in 2009. A bewitching wine also for its violet aftertaste.
(91/100)
PERGOLE TORTE vintage 2011
Toscana IGT
Ruby red mantle with a fine orange edge.
Aromas of violet and violet soap echoed by mint, eucalyptus, straw, cherry, nutmeg, light hairy red peaches, toasted peanuts, hard sugar sticks, to finish with a pinch of dry white fig. The body is medium, slightly higher than that of 2009 and 2010.
Sapid and mineral wine with a good balance between alcohol and freshness, more than 2009 and 2010.
The tannins are sweet, fairly broad (5 / 6–), initially velvety and then dry the upper gum a little.
Its gustative persistence is long.
(91/100)
PERGOLE TORTE vintage 2012
Toscana IGT
Ruby red with a fine orange edge.
On the nose there are aromas of worked leather and ink followed by notes of cherry, mint, eucalyptus, hard mint, intense oregano, tomato paste, rosemary, blackberry jam, to finish with memories of Coccoina glue (milk coconut and almond).
When tasted, it shows a medium-light body and a pleasant sapidity. Initially, you enjoy a pleasant freshness which, however, fails to eliminate the slight fluctuating effect with alcohol. The tannins are not very wide (4/6 ++), sweet, initially velvety, and then dry the upper gum a little.
Its gustative persistence is long.
This is the only vintage of the vertical in which I haven’t heard the violet, but I’m sure it will come out over time.
(90–/100)
PERGOLE TORTE, vintage 2013
Toscana IGT
Intense ruby red color.
Olfactory mix made of scents of chalk, cherry, straw, mint, eucalyptus, black pepper, nutmeg, Coccoina glue (coconut milk and almond), rosemary, bay leaf, sage, raspberry, violet, violet soap, to finish with pinches of pine resin.
The body is medium plus with a slightly spicy black pepper flavor. Sapid and mineral wine, well balanced with the freshness which, aided by the tannins, completely dominates the alcoholic mass.
The tannins are sweet, fairly broad (5/6 ++), silky and velvety.
Its gustative persistence is long, during which a splendid violet can be enjoyed.
Unquestionably a beautiful wine.
(96/100)
PERGOLE TORTE vintage 2014
Toscana IGT
Beautiful ruby red.
From the glass emerge scents of leather at the end of the tannery process, then slowly the nose perceives an intense violet and violet soap followed by mint, intense eucalyptus, warm starched cloth, cherry, tomato paste, wet earth and hairy peach red.
Taste that reveals a sufficient medium body with a slight taste of acetic acid and violet.
Balanced wine between alcohol and freshness, the latter dominates the former. The tannins are sweet, not very broad (4/6), initially velvety and then dry the upper gum a little. Its gustative persistence is long with a violet and cherry finish.
(90/100)
PERGOLE TORTE, vintage 2015
Toscana IGT
Quite intense ruby red dress.
The olfactory encounter reveals aromas of chamois, hard candy cane, hard almond shell, ripe morello cherry, starch (starch spray for ironing), almond and licorice.
Generous medium body. Well balanced wine with imperceptible alcoholic mass thanks to the freshness and tannins. The latter are fairly wide sweets (5/6 ++) and velvety. Its persistence is long with a violet finish.
Nice wine that over time, in my opinion, will express itself more from an olfactory point of view.
In this vintage all three wines produced by the company have been very structured, even the third wine Pian del Ciampolo did not have, to the taste, the typical acetic acid that Martino Manetti likes so much.
(96/100)
PERGOLE TORTE, vintage 2016
Toscana IGT
Quite intense cardinal color.
The olfactory casket opens to aromas of toasted peanuts, starch (spray starch for ironing) intense violet, mint, eucalyptus, cherry, camphor, rosemary, bay leaf, sage with a finish that recalls oregano.
The body is medium strengthened. Flavor of fantastic violet that spreads throughout the oral cavity. Perfectly balanced wine. The generous freshness and tannins dominate, without second thoughts, the alcoholic mass. The tannins are sweet, velvety and broad (6 / 6–). Its intense gustative persistence is very long, with a very rich violet finish.
Nice drink and nice freshness.
It would have reached, in my opinion, the maximum score if it had had completely wide tannins.
(99/100)
PERGOLE TORTE, vintage 2017
Toscana IGT
Ruby red color respecting the vintage.
Bouquet of violet, violet soap, mint, eucalyptus, freshly baked hot bread, cherry, black pepper, nutmeg, sweet outside of the candy, to finish with mineral notes of graphite.
When tasted, the body is medium enough and it is sapid and mineral. You feel a little acetic acid which accentuates the freshness. Balanced wine with the alcoholic mass silenced by the freshness. The tannins are sweet, fairly broad (5 / 6–), initially velvety and then allow the upper gum to dry a little. The violet soap flavor remains throughout its long gustatory persistence.
It recalls the 2014 vintage for the taste of mild acetic acid, and the third wine of the company, Pian del Ciampolo, in all vintages except for the 2015 vintage. Pian del Ciampolo usually has a greater acid flavor acetic compared to what felt in Pergole Torte 2014 and 2017. This 2017 has somewhat dry and green tannins.
It is good to remember that the 2017 and 2014 vintages were very difficult.
(90/100)
