Dubbed ‘the Sassicaia of the South’ by Robert Parker in 1995.
Montevetrano – made from a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon alongside local grape variety Aglianico, has gained a cult following. It’s not hard to see why the estate is so frequently likened to Italian legend Sassicaia.
The history of this prestigious benchmark winery starts in the mid-80ies, with a group of friends who love wine and has the desire to experiment. It’s the brainchild of owner Silvia Imperatore, who enlisted the help of her friend and top winemaking consultant Riccardo Cotarella as she set out to make a top quality wine from Campania, the region to the south of Tuscany.
The family property runs to 26 hectares, situated in the midst of hills beneath a small medieval castle near Salerno and the sea. The vineyards are planted with different exposures on the circular estate, all surrounded by the gently undulating landscape. The minuscule first production, which was not for sale, was from 1991, and Montevetrano made its debut on the market with the ’93 vintage. The first vintage of a wine that will adopt the same name of the nearby castle – Montevetrano.
The wine displays a deep and intensely red color. The spiciness varies with the vintage, and one generally finds suggestions of chocolate, liquorice and berry fruit. More alluring in warm years and more austere in cold ones, it never abandons the characteristic elegance imparted by its fine-grained tannins: an internationally acclaimed southern Italian wine which continues to win prizes in markets all over the world.
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