Bright intense ruby colour. Pleasant nose of wild berries, blackcurrant, ripe cherry, plum jam, vanilla and floral notes of violet. Good fruit concentration well balance the oak on palate. The tannins are round and define the long finish.

Our head sommelier Marc Almert about the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Wine fairs: That sounds like excitement and enjoyment. In reality, however, they are usually quite "dry", hectic days on which you rush from one appointment to the next. This makes those moments when you get to talk to winemakers and the glass in front of you begs for a lot of attention all the more enjoyable. That's what happened to me at the last Vinitaly in Verona at the Le Bèrne booth, when we were chatting with the Natalini family and I thought to myself with this Prugnolo Gentile in the glass: "WOW, why haven't you opened something like this for so long?" My resolution for 2023: drink more Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, because its red fruit, peppery spice and animating flow make a bella figura both on its own and with an uncomplicated cold cuts platter.

Attributes

Origin:	Italy / Toscana / Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Grape variety:	Prugnolo gentile
Label:	Vegan
Ripening potential:	3 to 8 years after harvest
Drinking temperature:	16 to 18 °C
Food Pairing:	Brasato di manzo al Barolo, Cold fish dish, dried meat, Saddle of lamb fillet with herb jus, Saltimbocca, Spicy hard cheese, Risotto with ceps
Vinification:	long must fermentation, Pumping over
Harvest:	hand-picking, strict selection
Maturation:	in new barriques, some months bottle storage before sale
Maturation duration:	24 months
Volume:	14.5 %
Note:	Contains sulphites

Producer

Podere Le Bèrne / Fam. Natalini

Winemaker Andrea Natalini and his nephew Frederico, the budding oenologist at the winery, are the pillars of the family business. But at Le Bèrne, everyone pitches in to make great wines! Wines of excellent quality at fair prices, authentic, warm-hearted, and inviting, just like their producers. Welcome to Italy!

The winery Le Bèrne is located in south Tuscany, in the province of Siena, amidst the beautiful landscape of Montepulciano. The famous Vino Nobile has been produced here since the 14th century. In the 1960s, Egisto Natalini and his son Giuliano decided to vinify the grapes from their vineyards themselves. The winery was founded and it brought new splendour to the Tuscan winemaking tradition. In 1995, Giuliano's son, Andrea, a graduate agricultural engineer, joined the business. Andrea manages all the viticultural operations, supported by the renowned oenologist Paolo Vagaggini.

Grape variety

Prugnolo gentile

Epitome of Tuscany

Chianti classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino nobile di Montepulciano: the Sangiovese is in each of the classic red wines from Tuscany. For a long time, it was assumed that its birthplace was here. After all, it appeared under various synonyms in Tuscan documents dating from 1600. But in 2004, researchers unveiled that one of its parents originated in Calabria in southern Italy. Today, it is the most planted variety in Italy. In addition to Tuscany, it fares well in Emilia-Romagna, Marche or Umbria. It is an exceptionally lovable wine: its aromas of cherry and plum, violets and spices are complemented by fresh acidity and a juicy texture. It wins people around both as cheerful, drinkable wines with pizza and pasta and as barrel-aged top class wines. Carried by Italian immigrants, it found its way to California and Argentina. However, it does not have the same reputation there.

Country

Italy

Italy – Where wine is a way of life

The Italian wine regions are extremely diverse, and this is made clear in their wines. Established varieties such as Merlot, Syrah, and Sauvignon can be found on just 15 percent of the total vine growing area. The remaining 85 percent is reserved for autochthonous, indigenous varieties. More than 2,000 different grape varieties are grown under diverse conditions and pressed with various techniques into wines that reach the top tier of the international wine market.

Rating

Gambero Rosso 3 Bicchieri