Montevertine Pian del Ciampolo Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy 2022

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.

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.

Composed of Sangiovese with tiny amounts of Canaiolo and Colorino blended in, this is the basic red wine of the estate. It sees 18 months of aging in large barrel. The 1.5 hectare vineyard parcel was re-planted in 2003; the vineyards face east - northeast which produces a long growing season resulting in the complete maturation of the grapes and exceptional balance to this wine which reflects the classic Montevertine style marked by elegance and complexity.