Today, when a wine lover has a bottle of Le Pergole Torte with its distinctive artist label in front of them, it's hard to believe that this famous winery was just the holiday home of an Italian industrialist fifty years ago, who wanted to produce a few bottles of wine as a hobby for friends. Even more incredible is that he only wanted to know if the wine was decent and sent a few bottles to Vinitaly in Verona, where they were served by the Siena Chamber of Commerce. It must have tasted good even then, as the response was enormous and encouraged Sergio Manetti to quit his high-paying job and become a winemaker. The rest is an unparalleled success story. Today, the wines of Montevertine are among the absolute top wines of Italy.
The winery, with just under 18 hectares, is still relatively small. Only three wines are produced from just three grape varieties. Sangiovese dominates with 90%, along with Colorino and Canaiolo. No international grape varieties, even though Montevertine and Le Pergole Torte are often called "Supertuscans." The third in the group is called Pian Del Ciampolo and, according to Martino Manetti, the son of the founder who passed away in 2000, is essentially a second wine in the sense of the Bordeaux classification. In addition to the three wines, a small amount of exquisite olive oil is pressed and a fine grappa is distilled from the Sangiovese pomace.
Nine vineyards, all located at around 450 meters above sea level near the dense forests above Radda in Chianti. This small region is often considered one of the best in the Chianti Classico area. The nearby forests and the mountains behind them create a slightly cooler climate, especially at night. A lot of wind blows the fog out of the vineyards early and dries the grapes well. The soils are rocky and calcareous, which often produces more delicate, elegant wines with Sangiovese. Until 1997, about 3,200 vines per hectare were planted using Guyot training; the newer vineyards are denser, with up to 5,000 plants per hectare, and are cultivated using the Italian Cordone Speronato training system. The vineyards have always been farmed naturally; since 2009, they have been strictly organic, fertilized with their own compost, and vine diseases are controlled with minimal copper and sulfur.
"Since then, the house's wines have become flagship drops for the entire region, delivering a Sangiovese that is rarely offered more completely in Tuscany. Unmistakable in style, original, and full of balance, Montevertine's wines have secured an absolute top spot in the national wine league." Gambero Rosso
