Lunch with Monteverro: Super & Tuscan

Last week we hosted Olympia from our premium Tuscan winery Monteverro for lunch at Italian restaurant Tinello to show off her range of just released 2011s. These are available exclusively through Bancroft Wines. Read on for the tasting notes, as written by our very own Kenny Stewart...

Her visit was written up in Decanter, and The Drinks Business.

"Monteverro is one of the most exciting young properties I have come across..." Antonio Galloni - Wine Advocate

"Showing a level of moxie so high it touches peaks of brilliance and insanity, he planted his winemaking flag here. Given the excellent results, I can only say 'chapeau'." Monica Larner - Wine Advocate

Monteverro is that very rare thing, a fully-formed state of the art winery, established as recently as 2003 and already running like the proverbial Swiss watch. It is set upon the mineral-laden soils of Maremma in the South West of coastal Tuscany, 5 kilometres from the sea.  It was founded by single-minded German businessman and wine obsessive Georg Weber whose aim is to produce something as profound as his own personal wine epiphany: Chateau Latour 1961.  Zeroing in on a spectacular terroir, with help from France's most renowned soil specialists Lydia and Claude Bourguignon (DRC, Dujac, Leflaive, Sélosse, Dagueneau, Chave) and utilising its foremost expert in vine training Michel Duclos, Georg set about the hard work in 2004. His very first commercial vintage 2008 drew gasps of admiration: Italy's finest - Antonio Galloni - was fulsome in his praise and was astonished by the immediate success of the winery. 

Rarely does a wine project bear such fruit with its first commercial release but Weber has since sought to achieve greater expression aiming to highlight the natural freshness and minerality that this red clay and limestone terroir could provide.  A tweak here and there by winemaker Matthieu Taunay, overseen by Michel Rolland, who has been fascinated by this project from day one, and who consults during his annual visits to nearby Bolgheri for his Ornellaia and Masseto duties, has signalled further progress. With the 2010 vintage, just the third commercial release, the winery was really flying as the Parker ratings indicate, and now with the release of the 2011's the project is reaching even greater heights with a more subtle range of energetic wines.

 

2011 Monteverro, Monteverro

COLOUR: Brilliant but deep black ink with red velvet and dark cherry on the rim.
ON THE NOSE: Complexity and depth translated in layers of fruit, spices and wood aromas with touches likes blueberry and cassis, maple syrup, clay, cinnamon, cigar box and mocha that evolves over time.
ON THE PALATE: Soft but structured entrance evolving on a silky mouthfeel with a full and round palate layered with dark fruit and powerful structure.

2010 Vintage (Monteverro): 96 Points, Monica Larner, eRobertParker.com

2011 Tinata, Monteverro

COLOUR: Deep dark ruby with touches of geranium and royal velvet on the rim.
ON THE NOSE: Strong fruit and spice combination with fresh plums, cherry, nutmeg, crushed rocks, cedar and clay lingering on grenadine, cassis liqueur and underbrush.
ON THE PALATE: Velvety entrance evolving on freshly picked elderberries, cassis and cranberries with touches of ashes and beef roast.

2010 Vintage: 94 Points, Monica Larner, eRobertParker.com
 

2011 Terra di Monteverro, Monteverro

COLOUR: Deep dark cherry with purple and royal red on the rim.
ON THE NOSE: Beautiful fresh herbs and macchia nose with tomato stems, English candy, fresh mint, camphor, black currant and cigar box.
ON THE PALATE: Velvety entrance evolving on structured tannins with red fruit like cherry, raspberry lingering on canned plums and cherry.

2010 Vintage: 92 Points, Monica Larner, eRobertParker.com

 
We are also offering a limited number of cases of:

2011 Chardonnay, Monteverro

COLOUR: Deep yellow gold with hints of straw.
ON THE NOSE: Beautiful baked brioche evolving on apricot, honeysuckle, crème brulée, rose and canned pear.
ON THE PALATE: Soft entrance quickly evolving into a beautiful Greek honey yogurt with touches of wood, hazelnuts, honey and apricot lingering on caramel and prune liqueur.

2010 Vintage: 93 Points, Monica Larner, eRobertParker.com

Prices and large formats available upon request