Montevertine "Le Pergole Torte" - One of the best unloved Tuscan wines

I usually do not write about the more expensive wines even though I keep a few in my cellar for special occasions. I do not believe that price necessarily translates to quality. Pergole Torte Montevertine is the perfect example of this concept. The year the bottle hits the shelves it will be somewhere around $80-100 a bottle. Yes this is more than your everyday wine but it does not have the price of Sori Tildin. As time passes Pergole Torte, for the good years, increases in value. A 1990 just recently sold at 1,200 Euro. The interesting thing is that you will not find Pergole Torte as one of the top wine picks.

The reason is simple, Pergole Torte Montevertine is a wine made in the concept of balance with food. It is prepared using traditional processes. Transferring from one barrel to another is done with gravity, no pumps allowed. The medium toasted Slovenian Oak mature the wine for 18 months. This 100% Sangiovese is the exemplification of passion resulting in the highest quality of wines. Before 2000 Pergole Torte would have been in the top 100 wines year in and year out but with the forced flavors of today’s wines, it is considered just a good wine.

The trend is your friend. Let others follow the international ratings and buy the wines that explode in your mouth and are undrinkable with dinner. Only the most passionate about wine, food and balance will see your choice of wine as a celebration of your friendship. They will go away from your table content, as both the wine and the food will benefit from this union. Last year, to reduce inventories, a local retailer put Pergole Torte 97 on sale at 69$. We filled our cellar. The question we should also ask is, “given that this wine is not pimped by the wine industry, why does the price appreciate over time?”

Pergole Torte should not be opened until it is at least 6 years old. It comes into its own at about 10 years and will continue to mature and develop its complexity of flavors well through 20 years. Recently a bottle of 1982, that is 25 years, was opened and performed quite well for dinner. The value appreciates because this is a great wine, unique, rare and exceptional. You are paying for the true flavor and balance of this wine. If you have a cellar and can put this wine away, this is an opportunity to drink a several thousand dollar bottle of wine for 100$.

It should also be noted that this wine has been on the table at the meetings of the G7 and G8 held in Italy in recent years. Those who are in the know choose this wine for the most discerning of clients and friends. Pergole Torte Montevertine is elegance and finesse. It is the Armani or Valentino of wine, timeless, always at the top no matter what the tendency of the day may be.

It is the perfect companion for white and red meat roasts, fowl, wild game and aged cheeses.


Technical Information

Grape: Sangiovese 100%

Color: Brilliant Ruby Red.

Bouquet: Elegant distinct scents of Vanilla and Violets, less decisive Raspberry and Bing Cherries and a hint of cloves.

Taste: A bit dry but soft, consistent and encompassing. A great balance of tannins reveals a complex range of flavors and an unusually long finish. Mature summer fruits, particularly Bing Cherries.

Alcohol Content: Minimum 13.2 %

Serving Temperature: 16-18 c.

Decanting: at least ½ hour.

Pouring: Pour slowly with a 15-20 degree inclination.

Glass: Red wine glass or Balloon.

Aging: Do not drink before 6 years from the vintage. It will arrive at maturity around 10 years and will gracefully age 15+ years.

Notes: The vintages have been rated since 1971:

1971 good
1972 mediocre
1973 good
1974 good
1975 exceptional
1976 media
1977 great
1978 good
1979 exceptional
1980 good
1981 exceptional
1982 good
1983 great
1984 no production
1985 exceptional
1986 great
1987 good
1988 exceptional
1989 exceptional
1990 exceptional
1991 good
1992 good
1993 great
1994 great
1995 exceptional
1996 great
1997 exceptional
1998 great
1999 great
2000 great
2001 good
2002 No information
2003 exceptional

Tags: Chianti Red Wine Italian Wine Tuscany Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Romitorio Di Santedame 2000 – Tenimenti Ruffino

Romitorio di Santedame 2000 by Tenimenti Ruffino is a beautiful, complex, designer wine. There are many stories about how the first designer wines came into production. One of the most credible is that one of the primary vineyards planted Pinot Noir vines without knowing it. It seems that the nursery had fraudulently sold the Pinot Noir as Sangiovese. Once the vines had taken hold the mistake was apparent however the vineyard decided to test a combined wine. They were pleased with the results and during the 80s numerous vineyards in Chianti began experimenting with designer wines.

Romitorio di Santedame is elegant mix of Colorino and Merlot. It presents a deep, ruby red color with violet highlights and an intense and complex aroma. At a first taste the flavor is soft and encompassing. Our immediate impression was Bing cherries and perhaps a bit of blueberry. As the wine decanted a flavor of more mature fruits was present. We were drinking before dinner while Raffaella prepared Messicani alla Milanese, which means Milanese Mexicans. No we were not cooking immigrants and the dish is neither spicy or does it have a cream or cheese sauce. It is still a wonder why the name. Back to the wine, once the initial flavors subside the wine presents a distinct but subtle chocolate flavor and a finish that seems almost balsamic. Rosemary and pepper are definitely present.


With our Chicken Rolls, Messicani alla Milanese, Romitorio di Santedame was perfect. The butter sage sauce balanced very well with the mature fruit and chocolate. The Rosemary and pepper spice flavor then prepared the taste buds for another tasty bite of the dish. The dinner and the wine finished all too quickly but they were a great combination and this wine has made it into our cellar. It is not an everyday wine, the retail cost will be about $50-55 but it is well worth a good home-cooked meal on a special occasion or with friends.

Grape: Colorino 60% and Merlot 40%.

Color: Intense, impenetrable, ruby red with violet highlights.

Bouquet: Delicate flowers and rich woods.

Flavor: Encompassing, very soft tannins, Bing Cherries and dried Plums. A definite finish of Rosemary and Pepper.

Alcohol Content: 14 %

Serving Temperature: 18-20 c.

Decanting: 1 hour.

Pouring: Pour slowly with a 15-20 degree inclination. Do not turn the bottle upside down to pour the final drops. If transported, let the bottle sit for a couple of hours before pouring.

Glass: use a clear wide bellied, deep, stemmed glass. The increased surface area will allow the wine to continue to breath and will release its aroma as you move the glass to the mouth.

Aging: This wine can easily age 10 years.

Note: Romitorio di Santedame will surprise you. If you drink it without seeing the bottle you will think you have a Super Tuscany. The price/quality on this wine is excellent.

Tags: Ruffino Chianti Red Wine Italian Wine Tuscany Sommelier Food and Wine Travel Italy

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Chianti Superiore – Castello di Monastero 2001

We tried another Chianti from Lionello Marchesi’s Castello di Monastero. Our experience had always been that Chianti’s can be significantly different even from the same producer. This was, as expected, very different from Chianti Classico that was so interesting. We matched the Montetondo Chianti Superiore 2001 DOCG with “Uccellini Scappati”, “Birds that have Escaped”. Usually these would be made with veal or pork but Raffaella prepared them with chicken breasts.

The breasts are cut into filets and tenderized. On the flat chicken filet goes a strip of bacon, a thin slice of Brie and everything is rolled and in groups of two skewered. Between each roll a slice of bacon and sage is placed. Sautee in butter the rolls are pan seared and pepper is added. Finally, add chicken broth, cover and cook on low heat for an hour, turning occasionally. If necessary, add additional broth. This recipe does not require salt.

I opened the bottle about an hour before dinner while Raffaella continued the preparation. After about ½ hour we decided to discontinue our traditional before dinner white and start with the red. The first thing you notice as the wine comes toward your mouth is a hint of mature fruit and very light tannins. I expected the taste to be a bit hard. Instead it was very smooth. The flavor was constant both at first taste, while in the mouth and in the residual flavor. I would say it was structured but not complex. The wine is very pleasing even without eating anything. The initial hint of tannins in the bouquet was absent in the aftertaste and left no dryness.

With the food it was surprisingly complimentary and fully cleaned the mouth with every sip. I would be somewhat concerned if the meal was very savory, such as wild game or fowl but this is a perfect wine for just about everything. I would comfortably order this wine with appetizers, pasta and rice dishes, entrees of medium structure, white and red meats and all cheeses.

This wine exemplifies Chianti, great with just about every food. The type of wine you drink every day both with and without food.

Grape: 85% Sangiovese, 15% Merlot and Cabernet.

Alcohol: 13-13.5%

Serving Temperature: 18 degrees c.

Decanting: The producer suggests 1 hour before drinking. We did not wait that long, in fact the entire bottle did not last that long. It was great.

Tags: Marchesi Food and Wine Chianti Tuscany Italy

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Chianti Classico – Castello di Monastero 2001

We tried a new wine this week. Produced by Lionello Marchesi under his label Castello di Monestero this wine exemplifies how different Chianti Classico can be from the various vineyards. We made pizza, bread and everything, the other night. Our pizza is very different than what you would normally consider pizza, very thick crust, fluffy, with our own red sauce as a base and lots and lots of fresh mozzarella cheese.

The toppings included red peppers, skins removed, and sausage. We usually make our own but this late in the season we purchase Bratwurst. We choose Bratwurst because “Italian Sausage” in the US has fennel, something that is not part of northern Italian sausage. It does not have Parmesan in it but close enough.

Chianti would be perfect. Chianti has just enough tannins, earthy tones, and a well rounded taste. After our usual aperitivo we opened the Chianti. A glass before the pizza comes out of the oven would be perfect. The cork is high quality, soft and pliable, with just a hint of the wine but not saturated. Pouring the wine revealed a limpid ruby red color.

We touch our glasses and a quite sip. We immediately looked at each other, eyes wide with surprise as a smile came over our faces. Rarely are we surprised by a wine, the flavor was incredible. I exclaimed, “Ciocolato”, and Raffaella finished the sentence, “e More”, translated that is “Chocolate and Black Berries!”

It was an explosion of flavor and the finish was very smooth. Only a very slight hint of tannins on the first glass at the very end without the dryness that accompanies structured wines. It was fine with our pizza but we discussed various plates throughout dinner. Our consensus is that this would be perfect with a dessert such as Tiramisu or Chocolate Mousse, a perfect balance for a Porcini Mushroom dish, and great as a sipping wine with a cigar.

The technical information on this wine is:

Grape: 85% Sangiovese, 15% Merlot and Cabernet.

Alcohol: 13-13.5%

Serving Temperature: 18 degrees c.

Decanting: The producer suggests 1 hour before drinking. We did not wait that long, in fact the entire bottle did not last that long. It was great.

Notes: This wine is great with Mushrooms, desserts, mature fruits, and just marvelous alone with a piece of bread and a cigar.

Tags: Montalcino Food and Wine Chianti Classico Tuscany Italy

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Chianti Classico

Chianti appears for the first time in registered documents in 1404 however, this area was inhabited by the Etruscans. A study of the artifacts found indicates that they were producing wine long before this date. This wine was so well known that in 1716 the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III decided to protect the name with a decree defining the zone in which the grape could be cultivated and the method of production. This was the first initiative of this type preceding future DOC denominations by 200 years.

Today, because of the notoriety of Chianti, six bordering areas to the original Chianti were allowed to produce Chianti wines. To differentiate between the original Chianti and the more general Chianti, with a ministerial decree in 1932 the name Chianti Classico was defined as only the original area.

To acquire this name it is sufficient that the grapes are grown and transformed into wine in the original area. It is also necessary that a minimum of 75%, of the grapes used, are Sangiovese. The remaining grapes must also be grown locally but may be "Bacca Rossa", "Canaiolo" (up to 10%), "Trebbiano", "Malvisa" (up to 6%), and Merlot. Every producer will use different percentages of grapes and methods of aging however most Chianti will have a ruby red color that will tend to become red garnets with aging, an aroma of spices and wild berries, a good base structure without dominating tannins and a velvety finish.

Chianti is a great dinner/table wine. It does not need aging and can be served within a year of bottling that occurs in March. It will support a several of years in a controlled environment but is best when within two years of bottling.

Grape: At least 75% Sangiovese

Color: Bright Ruby Red, with aging will become garnet red with orange highlights

Bouquet: Wild Berries and earthy tones.

Flavor: A good balance of flavors, dry, and with a distinct taste of tannins. The finish is soft and velvety.

Alcohol Content: 12 - 12.5 %

Serving Temperature: 18-20 c.

Aging: 1 year

Decanting: not necessary.

Pouring: No special conditions to follow.

Glass: Just about any glass will do, best with a red wine glass.

Note: Great table wine. This is a marvelous wine with just about any savory dinner. Some producers have developed interesting mixes resulting in various flavors. This is a great every day wine!

Tags: Chianti Food and Wine Tuscany Italy

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