Montevertine, Le Pergole Torte 2007

robert_parker96

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

The 2007 Le Pergole Torte (Sangiovese) is a rock star wine, and then some. The sheer integrity and purity of the fruit is breathtaking, as is frankly everything about this wine. Wonderfully rich, deep and seductive, the 2007 Pergole Torte shows gorgeous clarity and polish, stunning aromatics and the finest of tannins. It needs time to develop the breadth of its full potential but is strikingly beautiful even at this admittedly early stage. The 2007 Pergole Torte shows the heights Sangiovese can reach. It will give even the finest Grand Cru Burgundies a run for their money. Simply put, the 2007 is a wonderful counterpart to the profound and much firmer 2006. It is a must-have bottle. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2032. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchants, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990

robert_parker98

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

The 2007 Le Pergole Torte totally captivates all of the senses with its extraordinary purity, depth and radiance. It is without question one of the finest wines of the year. This cool, late-ripening site was favored in 2007, a year that was mostly warm and dry. The resulting wine boasts extraordinary richness and opulence, but no sense at all of heaviness. Layers of striking, intensely perfumed fruit build to the huge, dazzling finish. There is nothing missing at all here. In many ways, the 2007 brings to mind the legendary 1990 Riserva. What a great showing. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2037. In a week during which I tasted most of the reference point Sangioveses and Sangiovese-based reds, one wine stuck out - Le Pergole Torte. Quite honestly, I had a hard time getting to sleep the night I tasted these wines. They were that viscerally thrilling. Le Pergole Torte isn’t a great Tuscan or Italian wine. It is simply one of the world’s elite wines. Montevertine is located in Radda, one of the coolest, highest-altitude spots in Chianti Classico. When I visited last April, the vineyards were noticeably more backward in their development relative to what I had seen in the other parts of the region. Le Pergole Torte was a groundbreaking wine when it was first conceived by proprietor Sergio Manetti in the early 1970s. At the time, Chianti Classico regulations obligated producers to include white grapes in their wines. Manetti dreamt of something else, a wine that would explore the greatness of Sangiovese. Along with noted oenologist Giulio Gambelli, Manetti created Le Pergole Torte, one of the first 100% Sangioveses made in Chianti Classico. Because it was made outside of appellation laws, the wine carried the humblest of all designations, ‘Vino da Tavola’ But the wine itself was fabulous, and the public soon caught on. In 1990 Manetti bottled a wine that would become an icon, the 1990 Riserva, which was an absurdity on paper, given the inherent contradiction of the terms ‘Vino da Tavola’ and ‘Riserva.’ To add to the irony, years later the Chianti Classico laws were updated. The obligatory use of complimentary white and red grapes was abolished, which meant Le Pergole Torte could be a Chianti Classico, but Manetti never returned to the appellation that had snubbed him. One of the misconceptions about Le Pergole Torte is that it is a single-vineyard wine. That was true of the early years up to the late 1980s. By 1990 Pergole Torte had become a selection of the estate’s best fruit across several parcels, although it wasn’t until 2001 that the fruit was sourced from the same basic complement of vineyards that is used today. Sadly, Sergio Manetti passed away in 2000. Manetti’s son Martino took over and adds that he is fully responsible for every wine beginning with the 2001, where he personally made all the decisions. Le Pergole Torte is vinified in cement. The wine is aged for one year in French oak barrels followed by a second year in cask. Martino Manetti isn’t afraid to call them as he sees them. Manetti describes 1985 and 1997 – both heavily touted years – as overrated. For this tasting, Manetti pulled a selection of vintages from his cellar, all based on their personal significance to him. Montevertine Le Pergole Torte Key Points: 1. 100% Sangiovese from the estate’s best fruit across all of the estate’s vineyards 2. Traditional vinification in cement. Aging first in French oak barrels, then cask 3. A delicate, refined expression of Sangiovese 4. Aging potential: 30+ years

robert_parker99

Reviewed by: Monica Larner

One of the unforgettable standouts in this historic retrospective, the 2007 Le Pergole Torte is an astonishing achievement. The wine offers soaring intensity and an enduring sense of balance and power. It has also entered a stunning phase in its lifeline, yet it still possesses that inner energy and youthfulness that ensures an even longer aging trajectory ahead. The bouquet is singular both in terms of its varietal purity and its aromatic reach. In many respects, this wine comes closest to the legendary 1990 Le Pergole Torte Riserva, an edition made only once in Montevertine's history. Indeed, this wine may have an upper leg on that wine given that inner youthfulness I mentioned above. The bouquet emits dark fruit and hints of exotic spice. The mouthfeel shows beautiful texture, fiber and even smoothness.

robert_parker99

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

One of the unforgettable standouts in this historic retrospective, the 2007 Le Pergole Torte is an astonishing achievement. The wine offers soaring intensity and an enduring sense of balance and power. It has also entered a stunning phase in its lifeline, yet it still possesses that inner energy and youthfulness that ensures an even longer aging trajectory ahead. The bouquet is singular both in terms of its varietal purity and its aromatic reach. In many respects, this wine comes closest to the legendary 1990 Le Pergole Torte Riserva, an edition made only once in Montevertine's history. Indeed, this wine may have an upper leg on that wine given that inner youthfulness I mentioned above. The bouquet emits dark fruit and hints of exotic spice. The mouthfeel shows beautiful texture, fiber and even smoothness.

vinous98

Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni

The 2007 Le Pergole Torte is rich, layered and sensual, all typical of this warm vintage. Bold red-fleshed fruits, spices, mint and rose petals are laced together in an expressive, resonant Pergole Torte built on pure texture. The 2007 is one of the raciest, sexiest Pergole Torte's in the estate's history. It can be enjoyed now or any time over the next 10-15 years. I don't expect to see the 2007 shut down, as it has always been open, rich and voluptuous. The 2007 has always been gorgeous, as it is once again today. Martino Manetti adds that while 2007 was a warm year, conditions never reached the extremes seen in 2003, nor were there any real spikes to speak of. Rather, temperatures were higher than normal over an extended period of time, but then settled back closer to normal in the weeks leading up to harvest.