“We have deliberately avoided cultivating other types of grapes such as Cabernet, Pinot Nero or Merlot because we want to distance ourselves from the worldwide trend. Some say that the aforementioned grapes reflect the current globalized taste. And what happens if one day, after an excessive production, we are bored by such grapes? Switching back to traditional grapes would take many years. And, after all, isn’t it altogether possible to make great wine from Sangiovese? Our own experience says “yes”, especially when the Sangiovese in question is Tuscan, even if the results obtained with this variety in other parts of the world have not necessarily been encouraging.”
1997 Monte Vertine Le Pergole Torte: I bought this year ago, on reputation alone, directly from Italy when the vintage was just released. The provenance and storage are unquestioned. The first two bottles I had were, merely average. Lacking fruit, displaying tartness; nothing I really wanted to drink. Knowing that it had a reputation to age very well, I’ve let my last 2 bottles sit. I opened one recently, with a simple lunch of tuscan peasant bread, buffalo mozzarella, and tomatoes dressed with 2008 Castello Banfi olive oil, sale, pepe e salsa balsamico. As I was cutting the mozzarella, I sipped the wine. Here we go again I thought……
My tomatoes were very ripe. The nicest “on the vine” tomatoes I’ve found this year. I sat down with lunch, and Googled the Monte Vertine website. And then I tasted the wine again. With the food. It’s nothing short of a symphony to be sure. Like the three tenors and Paganini using the muse to marry “Oh Sole Mio” into the most wonderful of visceral, aural delights. The wine has taken on a total transformation.
It’s dark brick, but it’s showing age. It’s copper to orange at the rim. The nose is filled with warm Tuscan red earth, with spices, with nutmeg and shoe leather. The fruit explodes in your mouth, framed by the creaminess of the cheese. The tang of the cheese accentuates the sweetness of the fruit. The salsa balsamico adds chestnut and wood notes to the wine; they interplay beautifully; majestically – like the maestro would have intended. The sum is greater than the parts. In this case, exceeding the parts by almost implausible measure.
So here I sit, nearing 1/3 of the bottle gone, and dedicating the remainder to dinner’s pasta: rigatoni with roasted eggplant, and shredded Cacio di Roma.
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| 1997 Monte Vertine Le Pergole Torte |
I haven't seen a La Pergole Torte reference in years! I guess I should've figured that you, if anyone, would have a stash of this. When I started at Twin Liquors (Austin retailer) back in '98, I was trying to decide on the '95 La Pergole Torte or '96 Solengo to buy as an "anniversary wine." Ended up buying a couple vintages of Solengo. Don't think I ever tasted a Pergole Torte.
The Solengos I've had so far have been pretty unimpressive. (I think I still have a '98 lurking in the cellar.) Maybe I should've bought a couple of Pergole Tortes instead.
Sounds like tonight's wine was kicking ass and taking names. Always good to hear…..
ttcp
I hear ya. I've never been a fan of Solengo. When it first came out, it had 4 or 5 varietals in it. I couldn't figure out what it wanted to be. Then they cut it to Cab and Merlot only, and raised the price to $100. That failed. Now the 2004 and 2005 are available locally for $40 and I won't touch them. I have never seen LpT at retail in this country. Ciao.
Yes! Yes! Yes! Where in the world would wine (Sangiovese) be without Chianti or Brunello?
"Oh Sole Mio", got to love it!
Never seen LPT available at retail in this country? Really? I didn't realize it was that rare. We had magnums of the '95 available back in the day.
I figured it was one of those things rarely seen in Texas (at inflated prices, no less) but found in case stacks and endcaps in Chicago, L.A. and New York.
Now I'm really kicking myself for not picking one up.
As for Solengo, I think I have 1 '97 and 1 '98 down in the cellar and no real interest in opening either one.
You know anything about Ornellaia? I bought 2 bottles of '96 on release and tried one a year or two later. No specific recollections, but I don't recall being impressed. Is this going to be yet another regrettable Italian wine purchase for me?
Ornellaia is a very different story. That wine has always been a Bordeaux blend, ala Sassicaia and is equally as delicious. The 1996 will treat you well as will the 1997. That was the last vintage I bought – solely because of the price, which got stupid once Mondavi got involved. If I could still afford that wine, I'd still be buying.