The Monteverro Estate was founded in 2003, near Capalbio, in the southern area of the Tuscan Maremma. The goal for the owners Georg and Julia Weber, from Munich, was to produce an outstanding wine with grape varietis from Bordeaux, in this land rich in culture and tradition.
The estate stretches over three hills for about 60 hectares, at a altitude between 30 and 80 metres above sea level. This region is characterised by the typical slopes with clayey and stony soil. From the vineyards you can see the Tyrrhenian Sea, just five kilometres away, which ensures constant breezes throughout the year. To the west, stands the imposing Monte Argentario, while about ten kilometres to the south-east is the border with Lazio.
Going up the hills, the vineyards give way to the Mediterranean scrub, vegetation consisting of evergreen shrubs and aromatic herbs, including lavender, broom, rosemary and thyme. This is also an ecosystem of several animal species, including the wild boar to which the Monteverro Estate owes its name. In fact, “verro” is the name used in this region to indicate the wild boar that finds its ideal habitat in the scrub surrounding the small village of Capalbio.
To promote the biodiversity of this area, only 35 of the 60 hectares of the estate have been planted with vineyards, while a substantial portion has been left to the natural development of olive groves and, indeed, the Mediterranean scrub. The estate also includes a natural lake surrounded by ancient cork oaks.
A part of the cellar has been built inside the hill, to take advantage of the natural cooling effect of an underground structure. The winery was built to facilitate the grape processing, respecting the environment, integrating sustainable agriculture, a lot of manual labour and cutting-edge technologies.
The wine that best expresses the terroir of Capalbio and has made it possible to achieve the owners’ goal is the Monteverro, a classic red Bordeaux blend made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot from the best plots of the estate.
The vineyard has a very high planting density, over 7500 vines per hectare: this guarantees competition between plants and a better-quality profile of the harvested bunches. The harvest is performed by hand, with harvesting dates varying according to the grape variety, the plot section and the climatic trend of the year. The grapes are rigorously sorted during harvesting.
The alcoholic fermentationis carried out with indigenous yest and takes place in stainless steel tanks and barriques, with punching down done manual. Each plot is vinified separately and carefully examined during blending. After racking, the wine matures for 24 months in new barriques (70%), then bottled without any filtration.
This wine is produced in limited quantity and we appreciated its quality and ability to evolve during a vertical tasting of four vintages. Let’s see how it went
Monteverro 2021 – Cabernet Sauvignon 45%, Cabernet Franc 40%, Merlot 10%, Petit Verdot5%
After the frost of 7th and 8th April, the producer had to protect the vines from the cold temperature with “bougies”. Spring was dry, with temperatures below average, so budding and the following phenological stages were delayed until July. Ripening was speeded up thanks to the heat in August, with Merlot being harvested at the end of August and the Cabernet and Petit Verdot being harvesting between 10th – 24th September.
The wine was deep, compact ruby in colour and consistent in the glass. Initially the nose was closed, with just floral hints of rose and violet, followed by fruity aromas of blueberry and cherry. After a few minutes, some herbal notes such as thyme and rosemary emerged in the glass, with a slightly spicy finish. In the mouth, the first sip showed the youth of the sample, highlighting a vehement freshness and rough but high tannin, not yet well integrated in the wine. The finish was long on tones of liquorice.
Monteverro 2020 – Cabernet Sauvignon 45%, Cabernet Franc 40%, Merlot 10%, Petit Verdot5%
2020 was characterised by a mild and rainy winter, with budding in early April. The spring mild climate allowed a favourable vegetative development. From the end of April, a dry period started with above-average temperatures and a consequent reduction in the size of the berries. After the warm July, Merlot was harvested around August 20th. Due to a storm at the end of the month, the harvest of the Cabernets and Petit Verdot were postponed until 20th September.
A dark ruby wine in colour and slightly paler on the rim. The wine had a structure very similar to the previous sample. On the nose we still smell youthful notes of flowers and black fruits such as cassis and black cherry, followed by hints of black pepper, nuances of tobacco and graphite with a finish of notes of liquorice. On the palate, the hard notes still prevailed, with acidity and tannin in evidence, that were still not well integrated with the high alcohol content. The finish was long on minty notes.
Monteverro 2019 – Cabernet Sauvignon 45%, Cabernet Franc 40%, Merlot 10%, Petit Verdot5%
The 2019 vintage started late, with budding in early April. The delay continued in spring with temperatures below 18°C and widespread rainfall. From June, the rain stopped, and the temperature rose in July. Harvesting was late in the season, with Merlot harvested from 4th September. The harvest of the Cabernets and the Petit Verdot, started on 12th September, but due to a storm, it was interrupted and was finished on 1st October.
This sample was also ruby in colour, with garnet reflections on the rim. On the nose, it was immediately elegant and extraordinary complex. Initial scents of violet were followed by blueberry, blackberry jam and blackcurrant, but then it developed tertiary aromas, with clearly perceptible hints of mushroom, forest floor and notes of chocolate and mint. In the mouth it was still young, but the softness began to balance the fresh-tannic profile of the wine. This was a Monteverro that had been product in a favourable vintage and which certainly has a long life ahead. The finish was very long on eucalyptus notes.
Monteverro 2011 – Cabernet Sauvignon 40%, Cabernet Franc 30%, Merlot 25%, Petit Verdot5%
A very rainy winter was followed by a spring with higher temperatures than average that resulted in early budding and flowering. The summer was cool, with a regular véraison without any water stress. The ripening was boosted in August with Merlot being harvested on 19th of August. The Cabernets and the Petit Verdot were harvested between 15th – 26th September.
A garnet wine in colour with a great brightness. On the nose, it was deep and complex, with notes of plum jam, followed by black pepper, liquorice and fern. In time, it revealed hints of olive, cinnamon and sweet tobacco. In the mouth, the first sip was soft, with a perfect balance between the fresh-savoury components and glycerine, with slightly powdery but smooth silky tannins. The long finish was on camphor notes.
After the vertical tasting, I was aware that I had tasted outstanding wines, universally recognisable, but also that expresses a region highly suited for viticulture. Monteverro is a wine that shows its ability to age by emphasising the characteristics of each vintage. Maremma