Verdict: this is gorgeous and distinguished and fresh and rich Sangiovese that stands above any CCR and doesn’t suffer from the heat and tarry overextraction of Brunello. A big step above any Sangiovese I remember drinking.
Full tasting note: The oak is still apparent, but not overdone. First impressions are of freshness and vibrancy and Sangiovese small red berry fruit. As the nose evolves, one gets cherry lozenge but not as sweet and candied as Ludens. Slight hint of licorice. While tannins are firm, they are not particularly drying or angular like a young Barolo. Even with a 30+ second finish, this is lithe and has sustaining acidity.
Backstory: my friends Diane and Khalid, who own Cork wine bar in DC, had an empty bottle of Le Pergole Torte on their shelf of “greatest hits” and Inwas struck by the beauty of the bottle. Started seeing references to the wine and began purchasing, mostly based on recommendations of a few trusted friends. Have opened several bottles of Montevertine, which has been singular and extremely enjoyable, and read Galloni’s review of older vintages. But never opened a bottle. Having now bought 20+ bottles. I figured I’d taste one young to see if they were worth continuing to invest in. They most certainly are.
I remember having the 2001 with Jay Miller and other folks under the Chelsea Market eight or ten years ago. It was magnificent. At the time, it could still be had for $100 or so if you hunted around and Jay and I were going to order some. Really sorry I didn’t!
I have had only a few Cepparellos, but they have been a bit more heavy/dark to me - more licorice, tar, darker berry. Closer to Brunello in my mind. Bonnes Mares compared to Amoureuses.
Have had dozens of bottles of Brunellos at every price point. Compared to this, they are all overly rich, hot, oaky and darker, with more licorice and tar notes. I like red berry aromatics, but don’t love the same raisiny, tarry note I get from both Brunello and Barolo.
As for Manetti - I had no idea. I now see a small handful of articles from 2014, a public apology, and nothing since.
I have experienced some tar in Barolo but never in Brunello. Agree some can be hot and oaky but producers like Costanti and Fuligni consistently procedure red fruited elegant wines. If oak is a sensitivity I would recommend avoiding the riservas in the future.
I have this same issue. have enjoyed the Montevertine I’ve had but not so much so that I miss it when I buy two bottles of Cepparello instead. or Percarlo, or like 4 bottles of Rancia.
Raisiny notes in Barolo? I’m shocked. What stuff are you drinking?
I can understand tar in Barolo, because it’s a typical characteristic of Nebbiolo, but I think it’s a wildly different thing from that extracted, tarry licorice character one might find in very ripe, extracted and liberally oaked Brunellos.
The raisiny notes in Brunello I can understand as well, because the DOCG stipulates that the wines have to be always aged for two years in wood, which might be a bit too much in some vintages if the fruit quality is not up to par and the producer is using barriques or tonneaux (more oxidative) than botti (less oxidative). This often confers an evolved, balsamic quality and somewhat pruney dried-fruit notes of some Brunellos.
Otto, you’ll have to forgive me if I utilize the incorrect descriptors.
I find the dried fruit/pruney character to be raisin like. My brain processes it in essentially the same way, and it gives me a sense of cloying and overripeness, even if it does not actually signify overripeness. The balsamic note is also something I don’t consistently love. I get similar feelings from Brunello, even if it is for different reasons. Some older Rancias (94, 98) I had recently were prime examples.
For some reason I have found that these characteristics are less pronounced in the Giacosa and Ceretto I have had over the last several years, and so I have gravitated towards those wines.
My point was that normally I never find raisiny / pruney notes in Barolos, apart from older wines or those made in very hot vintages (when I visited Barolo + Barbaresco in 2015, many producers were pouring wines from 2009-2011 and I found 2009 often quite dull and raisiny even if the wines were still youthful). In my books Barolos can be either fresh and delicate or stern and sinewy, but preferably bright, fresh and red-fruited.
I wonder if you’ve drunk more of modernist producers? This just because Barolo needs to be aged for a minimum of 18 months in oak and normally, to Nebbiolo, this amount of time is no problem, but in small barriques (which the modernists employ) the wines might evolve faster, developing more oxidative notes, compared to wines aged in traditional botti. I’ve drunk only older vintages of Ceretto, so I have no idea how they are today, but IIRC Bruno Giacosa is as traditional as it gets, so it’s not surprising you really don’t find those qualities in Giacosa bottles.
Certainly very old-school Barolos and Barbarescos of the days past could be more balsamic and pruney in style, because those wines needed to be aged extensively in botti so that their formidable tannins softened, resulting in a slightly oxidative style of wine, but that kind of style has disappeared decades ago. Unless a Nebbiolo comes from a hotter vintage or already has some age, I think it shouldn’t have any raisiny tones. Although I enjoy older wines that have developed dried-fruit flavors with age, I really don’t like raisiny or pruney tones in a young wine (meaning under 15-20 years in the case of Nebbiolo) and I think they really should not show any such qualities. Which made me wonder about your comment of Barolo being raisiny!
I have the same issue with Brunello as you! Barolo is another story, but that is probably for another thread.
But if your into red fruited Sangiovese, then i cannot recommend Stella di Campalto’s Rosso enough. It is not cheap, but delicious. I only tried it in a warm year (2015), and it is still singing.
Impossible to generalise about Brunello like that. While I’m generally more of a Chianti Sangiovese guy, and while most Brunello will always be more intense (and many have erred, and many still continue to, on the side of… well, we all know what), there are also lots of fresher, fine, chiseled Brunellos, even if I don’t like the pricing so much any more.
On Montevertine/Manetti… make of the guy what you will (FWIW, having met him several times, I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a fan of his sparkling personality etc.), but the wines (all of them, each in their own category) have consistently been among Italy’s very best for many, many years. End of story.
Starting to see the 2019 come out but seemingly at a big price step up from the 2018. Something like $250 vs $175. Haven’t been tracking this for many years, anyone have a view on whether this sticks?
Had the 2006 and 2007 LPT a month ago. Much preferred the 2007 - it was singing and has potential to improve. The 2006 I was also good but was noticeably more developed - tentative conclusion was to drink up. Have quite of few of these and will revisit in the fall. Stopped buying after 2013. Never paid more than $90.
LPT hasn’t been sub-$100 in nearly a decade in the US.
Recent Galloni vertical suggests that many of these will drink well for a long time still.
That being said, I think I found 2017 for $135 on release and 2018 for $150-165 on release through standard channels. Not sure where you’re seeing these prices, Owen. Secondary market prices have been getting elevated though, an annoying trend, but those are -definitely- secondary market prices.
