Blog: Montepulciano · Grape variety

Montepulciano - that's the wine from southern Tuscany, from the small town of Montepulciano! This is how many conversations on this subject begin. The important Adriatic grape variety Montepulciano is often confused with the town of the same name in southern Tuscany. For the Tuscan producers of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, it has become such a nuisance that efforts have been made to omit the easily confused name. The Tuscan Nobile di Montepulciano, however, does not contain a drop of the Montepulciano grape variety, which is rather almost predominantly pressed from the Sangiovese grape variety. We want to deal here with the abundantly unrecognized potential of the Adriatic grape variety Montepulciano.

The (unknown) potential
If one finds in the relevant literature about the Nebbiolorebe (Barolo, Barbaresco...) and also other grape varieties such as the Sangiovese (Chianti, Brunello...), almost endless material, it is quite silent around the grape variety Montepulciano. Occasionally a pitying reference to a peasant wine, but to conclude from this a moderate quality, that would be fatal. The opposite is true, at least when this vine is raised in a manner appropriate to its species, but this is also true for all other grape varieties. With careful vineyard management, yield limitation, optimal weather conditions and a lucky hand, one can discover the enormous potential of a great autochthonous wine of the Adriatic. An indication of this is also the fact that for decades his wine has been in great demand as an amplifier for weak reds from central and northern Italy. Whereby the suppliers, are mainly cooperatives and do not necessarily sell their top qualities, if they have them. So far, the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo has often appeared as a cheap mass wine, huge cooperatives are behind it, sometimes with up to 10,000 members. All this may have been necessary at a time when wine was consumed like beer, but that time has passed. All these impressions make one's gaze wander from one of Italy's best red wine potentials, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, which also includes Rosso Piceno and Rosso Conero, which may be pressed predominantly from Montepulciano grapes.

The properties
The area of origin and distribution of the Montepulciano grape variety is in the areas around Chieti in Abruzzo, and in the area of Ascoli Piceno in the southern Marche, so mainly on the Adriatic coast. It is grown on south-facing slopes at altitudes up to 500-600m, with the best results at altitudes around 300m. The budding and berry ripening is late, suitable for good sites with light, calcareous soils. The cluster is medium to cylindrical, loose-grained. The berry is medium-sized, oval, black-purple, fragrant, thick-skinned. The thick skins yield an enormous amount of pigment when ripening is favorable. The wine is full-bodied, robust, velvety, full, of low acidity, and dark ruby color, slightly tannic when young. Suitable for longer aging, then soft, fine and balanced. Some Montepulciano wines can be drunk very young, as early as six months after harvest. Most winemakers, however, store their Montepulciano for a full twelve months in wooden barrels. For large growths, aging in large or small oak barrels is even extended. In this process, the wine gains in refinement and complexity.

When it comes to wine, wine drinkers mainly inform themselves about the alcohol content, but in wine you can also find polyphenols, especially in red wine. It is due to the production process, because polyphenols come from the berry skins. Especially the thick-skinned grapes are optimal polyphenol suppliers. - Gerardo