Montevertine

Producer Distinctions
Montevertine 23 Hero

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 Manetti 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, protege of longtime estate oenologist Giulio Gambelli.

Montevertine counts 18 ha of vines, divided into 9 separate parcels, with the oldest vines planted in the Pergole Torte parcel in 1968. Nine tenths of the vineyard is planted to Sangiovese, the remainder dedicated to Colorino and Canaiolo. By 1981, due to Signor Manetti's refusal to incorporate Trebbiano into the Montevertine blend, Montevertine left the Chianti Classico consortium, thereby forgoing the Chianti Classico denomination. 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.