Grape variety · Red
Montepulciano
Abruzzo's deep-coloured red grape, giving soft, fruity, good-value wines — not to be confused with the Tuscan town.
- Red
- Home: Central Italy, most likely Abruzzo
- Italy
At a glance
- Also known as
- Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
- Cordisco
- Colour
- Red
- Origin
- Central Italy, most likely Abruzzo
- Main regions
- Abruzzo, Marche (Rosso Conero, Rosso Piceno), Molise, Puglia
- Varietal or blend
- Both. Bottled alone as Montepulciano d'Abruzzo; blended with Sangiovese in the Marche.
- Body & sweetness
- Medium to full-bodied, dry; also a dark rosé, Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo.
Taste & style
- Flavour
- Black cherry, plum, dried herbs, and pepper; leather and tobacco with age.
- Style
- Rich colour with soft acidity and ripe tannins; easy to drink young, while top bottles reward ageing.
In the vineyard & winery
- Growing
- Late-ripening, so it is grown mostly in central and southern Italy's warmer areas; often trained on overhead pergolas (tendone) in Abruzzo.
- Winemaking
- Everyday wines are made in tanks; better ones see oak.
Food matches
- Pizza and pasta with ragù
- Lamb skewers (arrosticini)
- Sausages
- Pecorino cheese
Notes
- Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, from Tuscany, is made mainly from Sangiovese — not this grape.