Description
Montenidoli Two-Pack: Colorino & “Sono Montenidoli”
Let’s get the housekeeping out of the way before diving into the story of Montenidoli: This two-pack contains an extremely rare example of Tuscany’s Colorino grape bottled on its own, along with a Sangiovese that ranks among the region’s very best. Both reds hail from Elisabetta Fagiuoli’s mountainside vineyards overlooking San Gimignano, just west of Chianti Classico, and they aren’t even Fagiuoli’s most famous wines—those would be her whites from Vernaccia, many of which employ skin contact and stand completely apart from the typical whites of the area. But I say “famous” guardedly because I’m not sure these wines receive the recognition they deserve.
Montenidoli is famous within the wine trade for sure, not just because of the consistent excellence (and organic pedigree) of the wines but because of its indefatigable proprietor, who, at eighty-something, is still regularly seen pouring her wines at industry tastings in the US, decked out like a proper signora and full of goodwill. She’s a true legend whose 50+ years in wine includes accolades from some of Italian wine’s biggest names (Luigi Veronelli; Giacomo Tachis; Giulio Gambelli), and her belief in both her land and herself is best summed up by the name on one of the reds in this two-pack: “Sono Montenidoli” (“I am Montenidoli”). If you’re an Italian wine lover and haven’t experienced these wines, you must; if you already know Montenidoli, you know how special this offer is. Either way, don’t delay: Only three packs per customer until our supply vanishes.
I saw Elisabetta at a wine event not long ago, and I thought to myself: This is like Elena Ferrante hosting a signing at some local bookstore. Her 200-hectare property, most of it still devoted to woodlands and olive groves (along with 24 hectares of vineyards), was an overgrown wilderness when she and her late partner, Sergio Muratori, acquired it in 1965. They painstakingly restored the vineyards and buildings that were there, but they took pains to preserve biodiversity at Montenidoli, which translates as “mountain of little nests.” The vineyards, whose altitudes range from 400 to 700 meters of elevation, have been farmed organically since the beginning. The sandy marl and limestone soils are reminiscent of those in nearby Chianti Classico, and at first, red wines were the sole focus: Even today, Elisabetta’s Chianti Colli Senesi is a fiercely traditional blend that follows the age-old “Ricasoli recipe” for Chianti: Sangiovese is the star, with local reds such as Canaiolo and Malvasia Nera in supporting roles.
The Colorino variety, meanwhile, gets a starring role of its own at Montenidoli, and it nails it: As its name suggests, this dark-hued variety has traditionally been used to add color to Chianti red blends, but, as with Canaiolo, a few Tuscan producers think enough of it to vinify it on its own. When you taste Montenidoli’s interpretation, you’ll wonder why there aren’t more: Her Colorino is inky black but not the rich, extracted style of wine that color may suggest. It has a firm, fine, focused structure, its tangy black raspberry and Morello cherry fruit complemented by savory notes of pipe tobacco, ground coffee, smoky earth, and licorice. Fermented in concrete vats and aged in used oak barrels, it is powerful without being hefty.
And then there’s “Sono Montenidoli,” a flagship bottling of 100% Sangiovese that will stand up to anything from Chianti Classico, Montepulciano, or Montalcino. And again, it’s not because it’s such a “big,” showy wine; it’s because it’s a complete wine with soaring aromatics and an earthy soul. The wine is aged for longer than most Brunello before its initial release (two years in used oak barriques; three years in bottle), and while it is a joy to drink now, there is still plenty of life still ahead of it. As a Sangiovese aficionado, I place this 2015 right up there with the best I’ve tasted in recent memory: black and red cherry, juicy cranberry, sweet tobacco, rose petals, and underbrush are presented in a very silky, refined package; none of Sangiovese’s sharp edges are on display, and oak-derived flavors are effectively non-existent. It is just fantastic after an hour-long decant.
I could go on, but I’ll spare you any further proselytizing. I suspect you won’t be able to wait to dive into the Colorino, whose tannins are still firm enough to merit at least 30 minutes of decanting. Me? I’ll probably open both at the same time and scour my favorite cookbooks for the most “Tuscan” recipes I can find. Or maybe I’ll just pan-sear a few steaks. The wine is going to be the star, anyway. Seriously: Don’t miss these!
