The first session of our Montevertine verticals. As befits the theme, this first night was mainly on the entry-level wine of the estate, Pian del Ciampolo - although we did have also a good measure of the “main wine”, Montevertine, as well.
Considering Montevertine is one of the best-known Tuscan estates, a thorough history might be unnecessary, but for those few possible people who do not know anything about the producer, here’s a small recap:
- Steel businessman Sergio Manetti acquired the Montevertine estate, located a few kilometers/miles north from the town of Radda, as a country retreat for his family in 1967. He planted two hectares of vineyards and built a small cantina to make wine for himself and his friends.
- The first Montevertine vintage was 1971. Manetti’s wines garnered praise and began attracting attention, so Manetti built a new cellar for the wines, planted new vineyards and began concentrating on making wine full-time.
- Although Montevertine had some vineyards of white varieties, Manetti thought that Chianti Classico’s requirement to blend white varieties into red wines was doing disservice to the region’s wines, so he refused to add any into his wines. For this reason Manetti was not allowed to bottle his wine as Chianti Classico, and as a response, Manetti left the Chianti Classico appellation and never returned.
- Manetti’s flagship wine, Le Pergole Torte was a single-vineyard Sangiovese, first created in 1977. As the wine didn’t contain any white grapes, it was not allowed to be bottled as Chianti Classico, so Manetti bottled it as a vino da tavola instead. In a time when the few Super-Tuscans that were not allowed to carry the appellation had a considerable portion of international varieties, whereas Le Pergole Torte can be considered as the first Super-Tuscan based entirely on local grape variety or varieties.
- The wines of Montevertine have always been very traditional: the wines are fermented spontaneously and macerated for a long time in concrete tanks, and then aged in Slavonian oak botti. The only exception is Le Pergole Torte, which sees an additional year of aging in French oak barriques.
- Historically Montevertine has made lots of different cuvées, including white wines, sweet wines and Riserva versions of the red cuvées. However, today Montevertine produces only three different wines, all red: the flagship cuvée Le Pergole Torte, a varietal Sangiovese; the “grand vin” Montevertine; and the “second wine” Pian del Ciampolo. The latter two are typically Sangiovese-based blends with tiny amounts of Canaiolo and Colorino.
- Sergio Manetti died of cancer in November 2000. Today the estate is run by Sergio’s son, Martino Manetti.
My main observations:
- The variation between the vintages is huge. And the great Tuscan vintages are not necessarily that great - or vice versa.
- Pian del Ciampolo punches way above its weight for an entry-level red. Although the basic Montevertine is a textbook Chianti Classico that often calls for a ton of aging before really starting to strut its stuff, several times Pian del Ciampolos were performing remarkably well, often surpassing lesser vintages of Montevertine.
- Le Pergole Torte does show quite a bit of oak in its youth and it really calls for aging to lose the toasty and woody notes.
The lineup.
- 2016 Montevertine Pian del Ciampolo Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
Typically a blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo (5%) and Colorino (5%). Fermented and macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for 3-4 weeks. Aged in Slavonian oak botti for 12 months. 13% alcohol. Lot number L3 18. Tasted from a magnum.
Quite deep, somewhat translucent black cherry color. The nose feels fresh, attractive and quite red-toned with aromas of cherries and ripe cranberries, some licorice root, light notes of tobacco, a little bit of savory old wood and herby spice, a hint of earth, a touch of sour cherry and a whiff and dark plummy fruit. The wine feels dry, firm and quite youthful on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of black raspberries and sour cherries, some tart cranberries, a little bit of tobacco, light gravelly mineral notes, a hint of fresh red plum and a touch of gravelly minerality. The overall feel is enjoyably firm and structure-driven with the high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, dry and quite grippy with a savory aftertaste of tart cranberries and sour cherry bitterness, some earthy tones, a little bit of fresh red plum, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of tobacco and a touch of brambly raspberry.
A sophisticated, promising and still youthful vintage of Pian del Ciampolo that is pretty much a textbook example of a Chianti Classico. Pure-fruited, fresh and structured with a nice streak of that Sangiovese sour cherry character and earth. Pretty much everything one could ask for from this label. This is starting to drink nicely now - although the wine really calls for some food - but I feel this is going to be a wine that will reward further aging. Drink or keep; I'm pretty sure the score will go up as the wine ages. Recommended.
(91 points) - 2015 Montevertine Pian del Ciampolo Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
Typically a blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo (5%) and Colorino (5%). Fermented and macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for 3-4 weeks. Aged in Slavonian oak botti for 12 months. 14% alcohol. Lot number L7 17.
Quite deep, dark and moderately opaque black cherry color. The nose feels ripe and sunny with aromas of sweet, soft cherries, some plummy tones, a little bit of juicy strawberry, light sanguine notes of iron, a hint of red licorice and a touch of gravelly earth. The wine feels dry, juicy and quite velvety on the palate with a rather full body and succulent flavors of black cherries and black raspberries, some sour cherry bitterness, light strawberry tones, a little bit of ripe red plum, a hint of licorice and a touch of tobacco. The overall feel is quite supple but balanced enough with the quite high acidity and somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is juicy, somewhat grippy and a bit warm with a rich aftertaste of black cherries, some licorice, light juicy plummy tones, a little bit of strawberry, a hint of tobacco and a touch of earthy spice.
A rich and balanced vintage of Pian del Ciampolo that feels somewhat bigger and sweeter than this label usually does - in a Montevertine vertical you can clearly see the solar imprint of the vintage here. Unlike the other vintages of Pian del Ciampolo, this doesn't feel like a classic Chianti Classico, but a more big-boned, softer and darker-toned Sangiovese-driven Tuscan red. The wine was thoroughly enjoyable and quite harmonious, and I can imagine it will continue to evolve just nicely - seeing how youthful the overall feel here was even at almost 10 years of age! - but I have to admit I'm not the biggest fan of this vintage.
(89 points) - 2013 Montevertine Pian del Ciampolo Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
Typically a blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo (5%) and Colorino (5%). Fermented and macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for 3-4 weeks. Aged in Slavonian oak botti for 12 months. 12,5% alcohol. Lot L4 15. Tasted from a magnum.
Quite translucent, slightly evolved cherry-red color. The nose feels a bit restrained but nuanced and attractive with delicate aromas of brambly raspberries, some cherry tones, a little bit of licorice root, light sweeter notes of ripe forest fruits, a perfumed hint of elderflowers and a touch of gravelly earth. The wine feels dry, firm and tightly-knit on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of ripe cherries and more bitter sour cherries, some tart lingonberry and cranberry tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light brambly raspberry notes, a hint of licorice root and a touch of earth. The overall feel is pretty structured, thanks to the high acidity and ample, grainy and quite grippy yet not tough tannins. The finish is firm, dry and grippy with a long, intense aftertaste of tart lingonberries and ripe cranberries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of licorice root, light stony mineral notes, a hint of old leather and a touch of sweeter Bing cherry.
A bit restrained and still remarkably youthful vintage of Pian del Ciampolo that is surprisingly stern and backward for the entry-level red of this winery. Comes across as a bit reticent, austere and very structure-driven, but with great sense of finesse and harmony. Usually Pian del Ciampolos are quite ready right out of the gate, but I feel this vintage could still use at least a handful of years more before it starts to sing - at least based on this sample that was tasted from a magnum. Definitely a vintage for the long haul. Impressive stuff, highly recommended.
(92 points) - 2011 Montevertine Pian del Ciampolo Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
Typically a blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo (5%) and Colorino (5%). Fermented and macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for 3-4 weeks. Aged in Slavonian oak botti for 12 months. 14% alcohol. Lot number L5 13.
Translucent cherry-red color with an evolved rusty-maroon hue. The nose feels open and quite ripe with sweetish, slightly earthy aromas of black cherries and licorice root, some pipe tobacco, a little bit of old leather, light earthy tones, a hint of ripe raspberry and a faint touch of farmhouse funk. The wine feels ripe, juicy and moderately fruit-forward on the palate with a full body and a bit evolved flavors of sweet black cherries and licorice root, some black raspberry tones, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light earthy notes, a hint of tobacco and a touch of tart cranberry. The overall feel is balanced with the rather high acidity and firm, moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is dry, dark-toned and somewhat grippy with a ripe aftertaste of licorice root, some sour cherry, light evolved notes of wizened dark fruits, a little bit of juicy black raspberry, a hint of old leather and a touch of tobacco.
A ripe and juicy vintage of Pian del Ciampolo that feels a bit bigger and weightier than this label usually does. Shows good sense of balance and nice sense of place despite the somewhat sweet-toned, sunny fruit. Curiously I had tasted this wine nine years ago and back then I thought that the wine was in a good spot back then and probably one shouldn't hold on to this vintage for long. Well, now, almost a decade later, the wine has evolved quite nicely - and surprisingly little - showing good sense of finesse and balance. I guess I could say that the wine is drinking very nicely right now, and although the wine shows potential to short-to-medium-term cellaring, I wouldn't hold on to this vintage for too long - but it's entirely possible I'm just making myself a fool again and in the future I discover that this wine has gotten even better after yet another nine years of aging!
(90 points) - 2010 Montevertine Pian del Ciampolo Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
Typically a blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo (5%) and Colorino (5%). Fermented and macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for 3-4 weeks. Aged in Slavonian oak botti for 12 months. 13% alcohol. Lot number L8 12.
Evolved and quite translucent dark brick-red color with a pale orange rim. The nose feels savory and quite atypical with aromas of almond paste and wizened cherries, some candle wax, light smoky tones, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, odd vegetal hints of celery and leafy greenness and a touch of earth. The wine feels dry, silky and open-knit on the palate with a quite full body and layered flavors of wizened dark plums, some sour cherry bitterness, light balsamic tones, a little bit of licorice, savory hints of meaty umami and a faint touch of forest floor. The structure relies more on the quite high acidity than on the textural, supple tannins. The finish is dry, textural and somewhat grippy with a long, juicy aftertaste of sour cherries, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of tart cranberry, light evolved notes of meaty umami and old leather, a hint of balsamic richness and a touch of earth.
This was the second time I had this vintage of Pian del Ciampolo, and once again I'm a bit confused by it: even though 2010 was a great vintage in Tuscany, this wine doesn't reach the usual level of quality of this label. What really strikes me as weird is the subtle greenness that is evident especially in the nose - this is something you almost never see in a Sangiovese. Furthermore, the wine lacks the depth of flavor, intensity and firm, tightly-knit structure you'd expect from this vintage. Compared to the other vintages we had in the Montevertine vertical, this vintage comes across as just very mid. Apart from the subtle greenness, there's nothing to complain here, but conversely there is nothing particularly memorable here, either. This is just nice little Chianti with a somewhat weird nose.
(89 points) - 2008 Montevertine Pian del Ciampolo Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
Typically a blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo (5%) and Colorino (5%). Fermented and macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for 3-4 weeks. Aged in Slavonian oak botti for 12 months. 13% alcohol. Lot number L4 10.
Somewhat translucent cherry-red color with a slightly evolved brick-red hue. The nose feels open, sweet-toned and slightly evolved with attractive aromas of ripe black cherries and wizened sour cherries, some licorice root, a little bit of tobacco, light juicy notes of ripe red plums, a hint of earthy spice and a touch of balsamic VA. The wine feels youthful, silky and harmonious on the palate with a moderately full body and dry flavors of crunchy red plums and sour cherry bitterness, some ripe raspberry tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light earthy tones, a hint of balsamico and a touch of licorice root. The overall feel is enjoyably crunchy and airy with good sense of focus and freshness, thanks to the high acidity and firm medium tannins. The finish is dry, long and gently grippy with a vibrant aftertaste of sour cherries and sweet raspberries, some crunchy red plums, a little bit of tobacco, light notes of balsamico, a hint of earth and a touch of tart cranberry.
A very attractive, open-knit and still surprisingly youthful vintage of Pian del Ciampolo that seems to be aging at a glacial pace. When I tasted this vintage 9 years ago, when the wine was 8 years old, I felt it seemed like an ageworthy vintage that was still on an upward trajectory. Well, now, at 17 years of age, the wine seems to be still surprisingly youthful and continues its ascent towards its plateau of maturity. A terrific vintage of this label that is drinking really well right now, but will reward further cellaring. A classic Montevertine that punches above its weight. Highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2002 Montevertine Pian del Ciampolo Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
Typically a blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo (5%) and Colorino (5%). Fermented and macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for 3-4 weeks. Aged in Slavonian oak botti for 12 months. 12,5% alcohol. Lot number L2 06.
Pale, translucent rusty-maroon color. The nose feels quite old and tertiary with aromas of earth and beef jerky, some sour cherry, light cranberry tones, a little bit of old leather, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of meat stew. The wine feels ripe, quite old and pretty velvety in texture with a medium body and savory, evolved flavors of cranberry sauce and sour cherry bitterness, some pruney notes of wizened red plums, a little bit of old leather, light earthy tones, a sweeter hint of dried figs and a touch of pipe tobacco. The structure relies more on the high acidity than on the quite soft and rather resolved medium tannins. The finish is evolved, textural and gently grippy with a long, tertiary aftertaste of strawberries, some cranberry sauce, light leathery notes, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of pruney red fruit.
Just like the bottle I had nine years ago, also this was quite evolved and tertiary, showing signs of decline. However, even though this bottle was nine years older, I felt this seemed a bit more alive, balanced and vibrant in style. Despite having left its plateau of maturity behind and getting quite senescent, there's still enough depth of flavor and nuance to keep this wine pleasant, enjoyable and quite stylish. It feels like this vintage was never a grand vin to begin with, but even if it is not in its best shape anymore, I think it has held up much better for its age than I anticipated.
(86 points) - 1996 Montevertine Pian del Ciampolo Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
Typically a blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo (5%) and Colorino (5%). Fermented and macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for 3-4 weeks. Aged in Slavonian oak botti for 12 months. 12,5% alcohol. Lot number L11 98, bottle #5779. Labeled as Vino da tavola.
Quite dark, medium-deep syrupy-brown color. The nose feels old, pungent and oxidative with aromas of raisiny dark fruit, some soy sauce, a little bit of wizened red plum, light notes of loose tobacco and a sharp, nutty note of rancio. The wine feels old, oxidative and tertiary on the palate with a medium body and quite tired flavors of syrupy richness and balsamico, some old leather, light dried-fruit notes of prunes and wizened cherries, a little bit of sharp, aldehydic rancio character, a hint of cherry pits and a touch of soy sauce. The structure relies mostly on the moderately high acidity as the ample, textural tannins feel fully resolved at this point. The finish is old, oxidative and quite tired with a long, tertiary aftertaste of balsamico and wizened cherries, some sharp notes of rancio, a little bit of beef jerky, light earthy tones, a hint of soy sauce and a touch of pruney dark fruit.
This wine was in a beautiful shape 7½ years ago, coming across as fully mature and sitting firmly on its plateau of maturity. This bottle, however, was way past its peak, coming across as quite tired and oxidative - somewhat oxidized, even. At this age it is hard to say whether the wine was as old as it should've been, or if we had just a compromised bottle. As the old adage goes; with wines this old, there are no great wines or great vintages, just great bottles. Unfortunately this wasn't one.
(NR/flawed) - 2020 Montevertine Le Pergole Torte Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
100% Sangiovese mainly from the Pergole Torte vineyard planted between 1968 and 1999, but complemented with old-vine fruit from the Montevertine and Il Sodaccio vineyards. Fermented spontaneously, and macerated with the skins for 20 days. Aged for 12 months in French oak barriques, and for another 12 months in large Slavonian oak casks. 13,3% alcohol, 0,1 g/l residual sugar, 5,97 g/l acidity, 0,52 g/l VA, pH 3,19 and total SO2 59 mg/l. Lot number L13 23.
Youthful, somewhat translucent and rather dark cherry-red color with subtly purplish hue. The nose feels sweetish and dark-fruited with aromas of dark plummy fruit, some bilberries, a little bit of sweet toasty oak spice, light licorice tones, a hint of vanilla, a touch of freshly pressed cherry juice and a whiff of moist pipe tobacco. The wine feels ripe, firm and sinewy on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of dark plummy fruit, some fresh black cherries, a little bit of savory wood spice, light bilberry tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of vanilla. The overall feel is pretty stern and muscular, thanks to the high acidity and ample, assertive and grippy tannins. The finish is ripe, long and grippy with an intense, dark-toned aftertaste of black cherries, some dark plummy fruit, light toasty notes of sweet oak spice, light earthy nuances, a hint of vanilla and a touch of fresh bilberries.
A bold, firmly-structured and intensely flavored vintage of Le Pergole Torte that is still a baby: the oaky tones, while not overpowering, have still a quite commanding presence in the flavor profile, and the tannins are very stern, drying and unresolved. There's tons of potential here, but at the moment the wine is still coming together - and most likely it will take quite some time before this wine really manages to get its game together and starts singing. However, in contrast to the tough and sulky 2020 Montevertine we tasted at the same time, this wine is nevertheless more expressive and approachable in overall feel. It's hard to say which wine is ultimately going to be the better wine in the long run; whether the 2020 Montevertine begins to open up and resolve with enough aging, or this 2020 LPT simply remains the more expressive and impressive wine of these two. Whatever the case, I feel this wine really calls for quite a bit of aging; I'd say there is no point in opening any bottles within the next 10 years or so. This is really a superb Sangiovese, but it will take a lot of time to resolve those tannins and have those oaky nuances sufficiently integrated with the fruit. An excellent wine for patient people who know how to keep their hands off their bottles for long enough!
(93 points) - 2020 Montevertine Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
A blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo (5%) and Colorino (5%) harvested in late September. Fermented and macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for 20 days. Aged in Slavonian oak botti for 24 months. 12,7% alcohol, 0,3 g/l residual sugar, 5,63 g/l acidity, 0,45 g/l VA, pH 3,21 and total SO2 84 mg/l. Lot number L14 23.
Youthful, quite translucent cherry-red color with subtly purplish hue. The nose feels youthful, dry and a bit earthy with slightly reticent aromas of sour cherries and savory wood spice, some dark forest fruits, a little bit of brambly raspberry, light notes of loose tobacco, mineral hints of rock dust and gravelly earth and a touch of red plums. The wine feels dry, dense and a bit tough with a medium body and savory flavors of sour cherries and tart lingonberries, some crunchy notes of fresh red plums, a little bit of loose tobacco, light brambly notes of raspberries, a hint of gravelly minerality and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The overall feel is quite stern and tightly-knit with the fresh, high acidity and rather grippy, grainy and unresolved tannins. The finish is dry, earthy and grippy with a long aftertaste of sour cherries, some tart notes of lingonberries and cranberries, some woody notes of savory oak spice, light ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of earth, a hint of extracted bitterness and a touch of plummy sweetness.
A youthful, stern and pretty tough vintage of Montevertine that is still in a rather grumpy and reticent phase. There's quite a contrast between this wine and the much more open, expressive and approachable 2020 Le Pergole Torte. Both the wines are very structure-driven with their high acidities and assertive, unresolved tannins, but Le Pergole Torte comes across as juicier, sweeter-toned and more expressive, while this Montevertine is quite aloof with a noticeably dry and somewhat restrained fruit profile and a rather pronounced streak of sour cherry bitterness. Between so many more expressive vintages of Montevertine in our 2011-2020 Montevertine vertical, this feels like a vintage that could really use a lot of age. Like maybe two more decades? There's heaps of potential here, but it is going to take a lot of winding down to make this wine open up. This is undeniably a fine wine, but mostly for people who are patient enough.
(91 points) - 2016 Montevertine Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
Typically a blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo (5%) and Colorino (5%). Fermented and macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for 3-4 weeks. Aged in Slavonian oak botti for 24 months. 13% alcohol. Lot number L2 19. Tasted from a magnum.
Somewhat translucent black cherry color with a subtly youthful blueish hue. The nose feels youthful, dark-fruited and subtly lactic with aromas of black cherries and ripe bilberries, some woody tones, a little bit of sweet dark plummy fruit, light balsamic notes of VA, a faint lactic hint of blueberry yogurt and a touch of earth. The wine feels youthful, dark-toned and quite silky on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense flavors of ripe bilberries, some sweet black cherries, light toasty notes of mocha oak, light plummy notes, a lactic hint of blueberry yogurt and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The wine is high in acidity with quite assertive and grippy tannins. The finish is ripe, firm and grippy with a long, intense aftertaste of sour cherries and bilberries, some lactic notes of blueberry yogurt, light licorice tones, a little bit of sweet black cherry, a hint of toasty oak spice and a touch of earth.
This was a weird experience. After the impressive, quite tightly-knit yet rather promising 2016 vintage of Pian del Ciampolo, I expected the 2016 Montevertine to be a wine in the same vein. Well, this too was a youthful and pretty tightly-knit vintage, but the youthfulness here was quite awkward. Firstly, the wine had an atypical, somewhat lactic note that reminded me of very young wines that have just finished their MLF - but that's something you'd expect to see in a wine 8½ years old! Additionally, while Montevertines usually don't show much oak influence, this wine still had some toasty oak notes that made this wine stick out in a vertical tasting of Montevertines from 2011 to 2020 - and not in a good way. I hope we just caught the wine in a clumsy spot and the wine will get its game together with additional aging - at least the wine seems to show quite a bit of aging potential with this much structure and fruit intensity.
(88 points) - 2015 Montevertine Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
Typically a blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo (5%) and Colorino (5%). Fermented and macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for 3-4 weeks. Aged in Slavonian oak botti for 24 months. 13,5% alcohol. Lot number L15 18.
Youthful, somewhat translucent black cherry color. The nose feels quite ripe with aromas of black cherries, some woody notes of savory old oak, a little bit of strawberry, light dark plummy tones, a hint of pipe tobacco, a touch of fresh bilberry and a faint lifted whiff of sweet balsamico. The wine feels dry, rather ripe and pretty tightly-knit on the palate with a moderately full body and intense flavors of pronounced sour cherry bitterness and tart lingonberries, some ferrous bloody tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light stony mineral notes, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of fresh bilberry. The wine comes across as pretty stern and structure-driven with its high acidity and quite grippy tannins. The intense finish is long, dark-toned and grippy with a ripe yet dry aftertaste of sour cherries and strawberries, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of savory wood spice, light earthy tones, a hint of tart lingonberry and a touch of balsamic VA.
A youthful, tightly-knit and sinewy vintage of Montevertine that is wonderfully youthful and fresh for its age and surprisingly stern for the warm vintage - in contrast the 2015 vintage of Pian del Ciampolo came across as considerably softer and sweeter in style. This wine has managed to avoid the difficulties and pitfalls of the warm vintage, making it come across as very classically-styled and structure-driven in style. With its firm, tightly-knit structure and very youthful overall feel, the wine really calls for additional aging; at almost 10 years of age, this is still quite a tough and forbidding effort. A fine wine with lots of upside; expect the score to go up as the wine ages.
(92 points) - 2014 Montevertine Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
Typically a blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo (5%) and Colorino (5%). Fermented and macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for 3-4 weeks. Aged in Slavonian oak botti for 24 months. 12,5% alcohol. Lot number L14 17.
Luminous, quite translucent and slightly developed dark brick-red color. The nose feels weirdly green-toned with somewhat atypical aromas of fresh sour cherries, some inky tones, light vegetal notes of leafy greenness and minty herbs, a little bit of dark forest fruits, a hint of brambly black raspberry and a touch of earth. Contrasting the somewhat vegetal nose, the wine feels quite ripe on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and dry-ish flavors of dark fruits, some black cherries, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light licorice tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a faint vegetal touch of leafy greenness. The structure relies more on the high acidity than on the ripe, silky and supple medium tannins. The finish is dry-ish and gently grippy with a moderately long aftertaste of sour cherries, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light red-toned notes of red plums and raspberries, a herbaceous hint of leafy vegetal character and a touch of gravelly earth.
This was a weird experience: although the wine seemed relatively ripe and juicy on the palate, it seemed surprisingly green-toned and vegetal on the nose - something you normally don't see in Montevertines. Furthermore, this vintage was otherwise surprisingly soft and supple with quite ripe and gentle tannins for a Montevertine - a wine normally known to be quite grippy and tannic in its youth. While not a bad wine, this was a somewhat disappointing effort for a Montevertine; in our vertical tasting of vintages 2011 to 2020, it was quite obvious that this was not on par with the other vintages. I really don't expect the wine to get considerably better with additional aging - although it wouldn't be the first time I have been wrong in this aspect.
(87 points) - 2013 Montevertine Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
Typically a blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo (5%) and Colorino (5%). Fermented and macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for 3-4 weeks. Aged in Slavonian oak botti for 24 months. 12,5% alcohol. Lot number L1 16.
Luminous, quite dark and moderately translucent cherry color with an evolved brick-red hue. The nose feels quite ripe, sweet-toned and attractive with aromas of black cherries and wild strawberries, some licorice, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of anise, a hint of sun-baked earth, a touch of ripe black raspberry and a whiff of pipe tobacco. The wine feels dry, lean and sinewy on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of sour cherries and tart lingonberries, some licorice root, a little bit of earth and tobacco, light brambly notes of raspberries, a hint of anise and a woody touch of old oak spice. The overall feel is quite stern and tightly-knit with the fresh, high acidity and ample, grippy tannins. The finish is dry, long and tannic with an intense aftertaste of sour cherries and black raspberries, some tobacco, a little bit of earth, light tart lingonberry tones, a hint of licorice root and a sanguine touch of iron.
A youthful, very tightly-knit and still a bit closed yet still surprisingly intensely-flavored vintage of Montevertine with quite a bit of focus and drive. There's definitely a lot of stuffing here even if the wine isn't that concentrated or big-boned, but especially with those assertive tannins, the wine comes across as rather stern and clamped shut. There's definitely a lot of promise here, but seeing how youthful and tightly-wound the wine still is at almost 12 years of age, I'd say this wine needs at least another dozen years of aging - if not longer - before starting to show its best. An impressive, firm and structure-driven vintage of Montevertine built for the long haul. Highly recommended - but for aging purposes, not for immediate drinking.
(93 points) - 2012 Montevertine Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
Typically a blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo (5%) and Colorino (5%). Fermented and macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for 3-4 weeks. Aged in Slavonian oak botti for 24 months. 13% alcohol. Lot number L11 15.
Luminous, quite dark and moderately translucent pomegranate color with an evolved brick-red hue. The nose feels open and sweetly-fruited with attractive aromas of cherry juice and cherry pits, some strawberry tones, a little bit of blackberry or boysenberry, light woody notes of savory old oak, a hint of balsamic VA, a developed touch of meaty character and a fragrant whiff of dried flowers. The wine feels ripe and juicy yet enjoyably firm on the palate with a moderately full body and vibrant flavors of sweet red plums, some raspberry tones, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit strawberry, evolved hints of balsamico and meaty umami and a touch of cherry pits. The overall feel is sinewy and structured with the high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is rich, juicy and rather grippy with a long aftertaste of cherries and raspberries, some ripe red plums, a little bit of wild strawberry, light savory notes of meaty umami, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of pipe tobacco.
A delightfully developed, textural and harmonious vintage of Montevertine that is starting to show a little bit of age and sense of resolution. Unlike so many other Montevertines that are still very tough, tightly-knit and quite backward, this wine has evolved at a bit faster pace, resulting in nice sense of aged complexity and slight softening of the firm tannins - although the wine still does retain quite a bit of grip with its firm tannic structure! I don't feel like the wine is on its plateau of maturity yet, but it is approaching it gradually, and perhaps the wine will reach its peak somewhere in the next 10 years or so. This might not be as impressive and ageworthy as, say, the 2013 vintage, but conversely this wine is in a delightful and definitely more approachable point right now. Although the wine will continue to evolve and improve for at least a handful of years more, it doesn't scream for any additional aging; it is drinking really nicely right now. Highly recommended.
(94 points) - 2011 Montevertine Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (17.2.2025)
Typically a blend of Sangiovese (90%), Canaiolo (5%) and Colorino (5%). Fermented and macerated with the skins in concrete tanks for 3-4 weeks. Aged in Slavonian oak botti for 24 months. 14% alcohol. Lot number L3 14.
Quite deep, dark and moderately opaque black cherry color with a slightly evolved maroon hue. The nose feels open, quite evolved and rather meaty with aromas of wizened cherries, some ripe black raspberries, a little bit of sun-baked earth, light notes of tobacco, a hint of old leather, a sweet touch of prunes and a whiff of consommé. The wine feels ripe, juicy and somewhat evolved with a full body and juicy, expressive flavors of sweet cherries and dark plums, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of tobacco, light earthy tones, a hint of old leather and a sweet touch of dried dark fruits. The structure relies quite evenly on the moderately high acidity and the ample, rather grippy tannins. The finish is ripe, somewhat sweet-toned and quite grippy with a long, dark-toned aftertaste of wizened black cherries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of tobacco, light pruney tones, a hint of old leather and a touch of balsamico.
A tasty and harmonious but also surprisingly evolved vintage of Montevertine that seems to have reached its plateau of maturity already and is already starting to exhibit some tertiary - even pruney - tones. After the relatively big-boned, rather ripe and quite dark-toned 2011 Pian del Ciampolo, I expected the same vintage of Montevertine to be similarly bigger and more ripe than usual, but what I didn't expect was that this wine was also much more evolved than the other vintages of Montevertine of the similar age. While that 2011 Pian del Ciampolo was still relatively youthful for its age and perhaps on an uphill, this Montevertine feels like it is at its peak already and most likely the only direction from here is down. Of course it is possible that we just had a not-particularly-representative bottle, but I understood these both 2011s came from the same source at the same time, so I'd expect them to be kept in quite identical conditions. Anyways, even if the wine was a bit more evolved and tertiary than I expected, I nevertheless enjoyed it quite a bit. This wasn't maybe as impressive as the 2012 or 2013 that we tasted next to it, but a lovely drop all the same. Probably best drunk sooner rather than later, though.
(92 points)
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