When a wine like Le Pergole Torte is released to the market each year, it’s a momentous occasion to say the least. It must be a heady experience for Montevertine’s Martino Manetti to see all the places around the world this legendary wine is being sent. Since only about 2,500 cases are made (for reference, that’s about a quarter of the annual production of Château Margaux’s grand vin), there are probably some tough conversations to be had with importers the world over. No doubt their US importer would have brought in more of today’s 2017 if they could have, but we’ll take what we can get—no way we’re going to miss a shot at what many consider to be the single greatest expression of Tuscany’s Sangiovese grape.
“Le Pergole Torte” is a “world’s best” type of bottle. It has an aristocratic pedigree, unrivaled longevity, a legendary cast of characters behind it, and one of the most artful labels ever to grace a bottle, but I think what I love best about it is that it comes from Radda, in the heart of Chianti Classico. First released in 1977, from a high-elevation vineyard planted in 1968, this is the stuff of multi-vintage “vertical” tastings and breathless anticipation from the critics. It melds power and finesse the way great red Burgundy does, demonstrating as well as any red out there that massive extract and tannin are not the key to a long life in the cellar. Due to tight allocations, we can only offer up to six bottles per customer today, so grab what you can—in the realm of fine wine “collectibles,” there’s still no greater value!
[PLEASE NOTE: This wine is being offered on a PRE-ARRIVAL basis. We expect it to land in our California warehouse by March 12 and it will ship shortly thereafter.]
There are just three reds produced at Montevertine, all of them riffs on Sangiovese from different vineyards on the 18-hectare property, which was originally purchased by steel magnate Sergio Manetti as a country retreat. Upon acquiring the land in 1967, Manetti began planting vineyards straight away, taking advice from his childhood friend, Giulio Gambelli, who was one of Tuscany’s most celebrated winemakers. Gambelli was the acknowledged master of the Sangiovese grape, known for his keen palate, and, along with cellarmaster Bruno Bini, comprised Manetti’s Tuscan Dream Team. When they released the first vintage of Le Pergole Torte in 1977, Manetti commissioned modern artist Alberto Manfredi for the labels, which still feature his images today.
From the beginning, Manetti was focused keenly on Sangiovese—at a time when the laws in the Chianti Classico DOCG required that the wines be blended. Wanting to make a “varietal” Sangiovese, Manetti long ago abandoned any use of Chianti terminology on the labels; the 100% Sangiovese Le Pergole Torte carried the humble vino da tavola (table wine) designation for many years until it was switched to the Toscana I.G.T. (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) classification.
After Sergio Manetti passed away in 2000, his son, Martino, took up the reins of the estate. Since then, he’s navigated his way through the losses of Bruno Bini and Giulio Gambelli. Both men are still referenced on the wine’s label, along with enologist Paolo Salvi, a Gambelli protégé who has not missed a beat in maintaining the house style.
Although production was sharply reduced in 2017, the end product was, once again, stunning—and poised for a long life in the cellar. It fermented in concrete vats on ambient yeasts and aged for a year in Slavonian oak botti and another year in French oak barriques before bottling. Aromatically, this wine is always one of the most exquisitely perfumed examples of Sangiovese in existence, and this 2017 is no exception: In the glass, it’s a deep ruby-red with garnet reflections, with dazzlingly complex aromas of ripe black cherry, red and black plum, violets, tobacco leaf, crushed rocks, leather, rose petals, and wild herbs. The intensity and focus is just incredible—it’s not a big, chunky wine but rather a lithe, sinewy wine that thrums with potential energy. It needs at least an hour in a decanter to unwind if you choose to open a bottle now, otherwise expect it to broaden and soften in 5-7 years’ time (and well beyond that). It has a 20-year aging window at a minimum, as anyone who collects Le Pergole knows, so do consider stocking up if you’re able. Serve it at 60-65 degrees in Burgundy stems with duck, quail, or any other game birds you like; this is the stuff unforgettable meals are made of!
