MONTEPULCIANO

Montepulciano wine is commonly mistaken for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano even though they are not the same thing. Although they both have similar names and both originate from Tuscany, the Vino Mobile di Montepulciano does not contain Montepulciano grapes and is primarily sourced from the Sangiovese grape class.

Deep-coloured Montepulciano wines with ripe, strong tannins are considered the best quality. Because of these traits, it’s an excellent blending partner for less hardy grape varietals. 

Quality Montepulciano wines contain robust aromas on the nose, reminiscent of game meats, spice, pepper, and earth as a single varietal. The wines have strong aromatics, a deep rich colour, and a robust structure.

The most famous Montepulciano wines are produced in the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC. This region is most famous for excessively high yields, which have undoubtedly led to the production of several quality wines.

Meanwhile, this wine can commonly be found in other Italian regions of Molise, Maremma, Umbria and Puglia. They are also grown in the US, New Zealand and Australia in small quantities.

How is Montepulciano wine made?

Montepulciano wines are largely exported and represent a great source of income. There are distinct ways in which this flavour-rich drop is aged after pressing. One is in stainless steel barrels for the everyday affordable variants, and in small oak casks for the higher quality and specialty variants.

What does a quality Montepulciano wine taste like?

There are many different producers of Montepulciano wine on the modern market. Some labels add Sangiovese to the blend, for a lighter texture and mixed taste, although each blend must contain at least 90% Montepulciano and 10% Sangiovese in these instances.

Montepulciano wines mostly contain fruity and juicy flavours, high acidity and soft tannins. It is important to note that it is of a drier variant, therefore the fruity flavours do not translate to sweetness.

You can expect to enjoy different flavours ranging from plum, wild cherry to blackberry. Most oak-aged drops have a more distinct fruit flavour, as well as peppery spices and chocolate.

How to enjoy this wine best

This varietal wine is perfect to enjoy with hearty and savoury meat dishes. You can serve it alongside beef bolognese, barbecue, brisket, or meatloaf. It also pairs rather well with fatty fish, such as mackerel and tuna. 

Montepulciano wine lovers can explore pairing the wine with pizza, or rich vegetables such as baked potatoes, roasted tomatoes, beans or beetroot.

How to buy Montepulciano wine online

At The Melbourne Wine Store, we take the task of sourcing quality drops from the grapevines of Tuscany to your doorstep very seriously.

You can choose from the bold fruity flavours, dry finishes and tannic quality of different bottles of all kinds. Simply shop online across our extensive collection, and we’ll deliver your pick of the bunch to your door.