Montevertine

Located in the heart of the Chianti district of Italy, Montevertine is one of the cult wine producers that have begun to dominate Tuscany. Dating back to the 11th Century as a hilltop defensive fortress, the estate was acquired in 1967 by Sergio Manetti as a vacation home for him and his family. In 1971, Sergio released the first vintage of his personal wine that he began making for friends and family, and the hobby quickly turned into a full-fledged career based around the Sangiovese grape. When the Chianti Classico consortium forced winemakers to use the Trebbiano grape in blends, Montevertine left the conglomerate, thus losing the denomination of the prestigious Chianti Classico. Since, then, the consortium outlawed the use of white grapes, such as Trebbiano, but despite the change Montevertine still uses the broader IGT Toscana classification. The estate is located in Radda which is one of the coolest and highest elevation spots in Chianti Classico, allowing for the wines to gain a sense of place. Sergio’s son, Martino, took over the winery in 2000 after his father’s death, and continues to produce wines that are worthy of cult status and, most importantly, Sangiovese-dominant. Because the wines are not under the Chianti Classico designation, consumers wrongfully believe that they are in the Super Tuscan category even though none of the Montevertine wines use any foreign grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. With the help oenologist Paolo Salvi, Martino Manetti is able to carry out the winemaking tradition that his father began half a century ago.

www.montevertine.it