2006 Montevertine Le Pergole Torte
The Soul of Sangiovese
in One of Tuscany's Greatest Vintages
*Special Pricing*
"Run, don't walk - this is breathtaking juice no one who loves Italian wine will want to be without."
Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate
If the line above cuts right to the chase as to what Antonio Galloni, the Italian guru for the Wine Advocate, thinks about Montevertine's 2006 Pergole Torte, the following line speaks volumes for the quality of the Tuscan 2006s. "The best of these wines offer breathtaking richness in a style that marries ripeness with structure to a degree that has seldom, if ever, been seen in Tuscany."
Today we'd like to focus on one of this region's most intriguing heroes in 2006.
Le Pergole Torte is a curious bottle of wine; it is not a "Super Tuscan." Frankly, it's not even a regular Tuscan, as Sergio Manetti, the spirited owner of Montevertine, left the Chianti Classico consortium in the early 1980s, believing the Sangiovese grape just wasn't getting the respect it deserved. Instead, he went his own way, dedicating himself and his high-altitude vineyards just outside of Radda almost completely to the Sangiovese grape.
Montevertine is a very special estate; it is a personal favorite of the store. Few producers are able to shape a Sangiovese that is at once so deep, so pure, so ravishingly complex, yet with such focus and cut. Few producers have captured the soul of Sangiovese with such an earnest clarity.
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Eric Asimov, the chief wine critic for the New York Times, wrote the following about Montevertine and it's a sentiment we share completely: "Sometimes I fall in love with a producer from the moment I first taste his wine. I know, I sound gullible. But really, if you can sense a purity, a commitment, and of course deliciousness and complexity, why hold back?"
Le Pergole Torte - especially in 2006 - is a profound soliloquy for Sangiovese. Named after the meager 2-hectare vineyard from which it comes, Le Pergole Torte has one of the coolest microclimates in the region, giving the wine a shivering energy, a precision to balance the wine's obvious power. Le Pergole Torte is only made in top vintages; it is always 100% Sangiovese. If there is truly mindblowing clarity to the wine, an articulation of nuance - dark berry fruit, dried cherry notes, smoke, gravel - make no mistake, Le Pergole Torte is meant to age.
This is a Sangiovese that stands out, even amongst the greats of this vintage. I don't think it is unreasonable to suggest that this bottle is destined to surpass the great 1999 and 2001 Pergole Torte.
But it's worth going a bit more into the philosophies of the Manettis (Sergio has now been joined by his son Martino). Although Sangiovese has been Tuscany's most famous variety for many centuries, as we said, it hasn't always been given the love it needed. Chianti especially has had a roller coaster-ride of a century, from the insipid, watery "pizza wines" of 30 years ago to a preponderance of rather un-Sangiovese-like wines, anonymous and forgettable all at the same time. Although there are many great producers honoring the region with their wines, there have simply been too many Chiantis, blended into oblivion with heavy doses of Cabernet (or Syrah or whatever) and then lavished with new oak in a misguided effort to polish over Sangiovese's true character.
Le Pergole Torte is one of those rare wines that sparkles with incredible charm. It is authentic and one of the gems of Tuscany - a landscape that is not without its share of treasures.
Obviously lovers of Tuscan reds will not want to miss this wine, though the soul and spirit of Montevertine will be appreciated by almost any traditional wine lover. We are offering 6-pack pricing because this is a bottle you will want to check in with over the decades. Because of limited quantities, all orders are subject to confirmation. To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call us (212) 980 9463.
Ian McFadden
Director of Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits
Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate: "What a pleasure it is to taste the 2006 Le Pergole Torte now that it is in bottle. The wine reveals superior density and richness in an especially generous style for this wine. Notes of smoke, licorice, leather and underbrush develop with air, adding layers of complexity to the dark red fruit. Today the tannins are a bit on the firm side as is typically the case when this wine is young, but it is impossible not to admire the 2006 Pergole Torte for its superb purity. The heat of the vintage has given the fruit in these high altitude vineyards a level of ripeness and depth that is unusual, all while maintaining the classic sense of structure that defines the best Pergole Tortes. Run, don’t walk - this is breathtaking juice no one who loves Italian wine will want to be without."
Net / No Further Discounts
Wine arrives in early 2010