Montepulciano

Montepulciano is the second most planted native Italian red grape variety, widely-grown in central and southern Italy. The most notable region in which it is grown is Abruzzo, hence many wines from the region being labelled Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. It is also grown in large volumes in Marche and Molise, however strangely has nothing to do with the Tuscan town of the same name or many of the wines being produced in Montepulciano itself – you’ll find an abundance of Sangiovese there!

Montepulciano Tasting Notes

Cherry

Cranberry

Plum

Oregano

Tobacco

Despite its dark colour, Montepulciano wines are dominated by red fruit flavours including cherries, cranberry and red plum. In better quality wines, and those which have aged, you can expect to taste herbal notes such as oregano, as well as savoury tobacco notes. Fruit flavours also develop with age to notes of black fruit, such as prune, blackberry and boysenberry with far grippier tannins.

Montepulciano Wine Style

Medium Bodied Red Wine

Light Full-Bodied

This grape variety produces a typically medium-bodied red wine and is often an easy drinker alongside food, particularly the younger fruit-forward wines. Tannins are pleasantly soft, whilst the wine itself has a very deep purple colour providing a slightly rustic sense and feel. The best examples of Montepulciano wine are aged for at least four or five years and can stand up to even longer ageing, where more complex flavours come to the fore.

Wine Regions

Practically all Montepulciano wines are made in Italy, and primarily in the Abruzzo region where regional appellations (laws) dictate that wines labelled from the region must consist of at least 60% of the grape variety. Marche, Molise and Puglia are other regions within Italy where it is commonly grown. Outside of Italy, you’d have to travel to quite unique vineyards in the USA and Australia, where around 1% of Montepulciano wines are made. These are more on the experimental side, as opposed to classic wines from those respective countries.

What Food Goes with Montepulciano?

This is a food wine, no question. That said, with Montepluciano being an easy-goer and often a table wine in native Italy, you really don’t need to mess about when it comes to food pairings. This will work well with vegetable stew, pizza, pasta and many meat dishes including roast pork, beef burgers and of course, cheese. Think rich foods and you won’t go wrong.

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