| Region of production: | Chianti Classico |
| Winery Location: | Radda, Siena |
| Year Established: | 1967 |
Vineyard Holdings
18 ha
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Le Pergole Torte Toscana IGP: 100% Sangiovese from vines planted in 1968 with a north/northeast exposure. The wine is fermented in concrete, then aged in French barriques for one year and large old botti for one year. 1,500 cases produced. Inaugural vintage 1977.
- Montevertine Toscana IGP: 90% Sangiovese plus Colorino and Canaiolo. Aged two years in large Slavonian oak casks. Sourced from vines planted in 1982 on a south/southeast-facing slope. 2,000 cases produced. Labeled Chianti Classico Riserva in 1981, then Riserva from 1982 to 1999.
- Pian del Ciampolo Toscana IGP: 90% Sangiovese plus Colorino and Canaiolo, sourced from an east/northeast-facing vineyard replanted in 2003.
- Il Sodaccio Toscana IGP: 88% Sangiovese and 12% Canaiolo. Last vintage 1998; the vineyard, Il Sodaccio, was ripped up.
Average Total Production
- N/A
Summary
Sergio Manetti planted two hectares of grape vines at Montevertine, his new family retreat house in Tuscany, in 1967. In his first vintage, 1971, the wine he made for personal consumption found acclaim from family, friends, and, eventually, critics. Just a few years later, Manetti decided to focus exclusively on winemaking. Situated in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone, Manetti believed that his Sangiovese should stand on its own, without the addition of white grapes, and labeled his wines as IGT Toscana beginning with the 1982 vintage. Since Sergio’s passing in 2000, Montevertine has been run by his son, Martino, and enologist Paolo Salvi.
Style & Vinification Techniques
Grapes are harvested manually and wines are fermented in large cement tanks for at least 25 days. Daily pumpovers and punchdowns promote a long, slow extraction. Malolactic fermentation is also done in large cement tanks before the wine is racked into Slavonian oak barrels of various sizes. The wines are racked at various times throughout the aging process to remove solids, and to allow for the wines to be bottled unfined and unfiltered. Giulio Gambelli, the famed oenologist and consultant who worked throughout Tuscany, was a large part of Montevertine’s success. He taught Sergio and Martino Manetti how to make wine, and according to Martino, Gambelli had the final say on the wines until his death in 2012.
Producer Website: Montevertine