“Montevertine: The Rebel Heart of Chianti” When tradition betrayed authenticity, one estate walked away — and in doing so, created Tuscany’s most soulful wines.
Montevertine is Tuscany’s rebel estate. From its break with Chianti Classico to the cult legend Pergole Torte, the Manetti family championed pure Sangiovese, redefining authenticity in Radda’s rocky hills.
The Beginning: From Country Villa to Cult Estate
The story of Montevertine begins not with a centuries-old noble lineage, but with a businessman’s dream. In 1967, steel magnate Sergio Manetti purchased a rural villa in Radda, in the heart of Chianti Classico. At first, his intent was leisure: a summer home where he might dabble in winemaking.
But wine has a way of consuming its makers. By the early 1970s, Manetti abandoned his business career and devoted himself entirely to the vineyard. Unlike many Tuscan estates chasing modernization, he fell in love with the purity of Sangiovese, Tuscany’s restless, high-strung, and glorious grape.
The Break with Chianti Classico
To understand Montevertine, you must understand its rebellion.
By the 1970s, the Chianti Classico regulations demanded that wines labeled “Chianti” include not just Sangiovese but also white grapes like Trebbiano and Malvasia, diluting intensity and character. For a man as uncompromising as Manetti, this was sacrilege.
In 1981, he withdrew Montevertine from the Chianti Classico consorzio altogether. From that moment forward, his wines would never again bear the Chianti name — even though they embodied the very essence of the region.
It was an act of defiance that made him a legend.
The Wines: Sangiovese as Scripture
Montevertine’s wines are not about variety — they are about Sangiovese in its purest voice. Each bottling carries a distinct philosophy:
- Montevertine (the estate wine): The purest expression of Radda’s high-altitude vineyards. Bright cherry, iron, herbs — classic, elegant, age-worthy.
- Pergole Torte (1977 debut): The estate’s crown jewel and one of Italy’s great cult wines. A single-vineyard, 100% Sangiovese, Pergole Torte is sensual yet disciplined, adorned each year with hand-painted labels by artist Alberto Manfredi. It became a symbol of Montevertine’s independence and artistry.
- Le Pian del Ciampolo: The estate’s “entry wine” — approachable yet carrying the same DNA of purity and authenticity.
Pergole Torte in particular became a global collector’s item, rivaling Barolo crus and Super Tuscans alike, while refusing to play the DOCG game.
The Manetti Legacy: A Family’s Custodianship
Sergio Manetti passed away in 2000, but Montevertine remained firmly in family hands. His son, Martino Manetti, continues the vision with fidelity and quiet conviction. No compromise, no Cabernet Sauvignon, no international blends.
The Manettis are custodians, not trend-chasers. While Super Tuscans like Sassicaia and Ornellaia leaned on Bordeaux grapes to woo critics, Montevertine doubled down on Sangiovese — a choice that once seemed mad, now revered as prophetic.
The Terroir: Radda’s Stark Beauty
Montevertine sits in Radda in Chianti, one of the highest and coolest zones in the appellation. Its soils are poor and rocky (galestro and alberese limestone), its climate harsher than the valley floors. But these challenges are Sangiovese’s blessing: acidity preserved, tannins firm, aromas lifted.
Radda’s wines are known for elegance and nerve — and Montevertine is its most articulate ambassador.
Liber’s Take: A Rebel’s Reward
What I admire in Montevertine is the refusal to obey when obedience meant betrayal. The consorzio told them: add white grapes, smooth the edges, make wine for tourists. The Manettis said: no.
They walked away. They lost the Chianti name, but they gained immortality.
Pergole Torte is not just a wine. It is a love letter to Sangiovese, written in defiance, sealed in purity, and signed in blood-red ink. It tells us that sometimes, to honor tradition, you must break with it.
Conclusion: Why Montevertine Matters
Montevertine is Tuscany’s conscience. It is the winery that chose authenticity over approval, purity over politics.
In a world of compromises, it is a beacon: a reminder that true greatness comes not from following the rules, but from following the truth of the land.
Montevertine: the rebel heart of Chianti, and the soul of Sangiovese.
