In the terroir of Montepulciano is mainly produce two worldwide famous wines: The Nobile di Montepulciano and the Rosso di Montepulciano. But is also produce in smaller quantity a Chianti wine, a longue dated tradition of Montepulciano wine making. This guide of Montepulciano wines will explain you all there is to know and even give you interesting facts about the strange history of the Nobile di Montepulciano.

If you want to know where to we go when we like to do a wine tour and a wine tasting in Montepulciano have a look here.

Nobile di Montepulciano wine guide

Nobile di Montepulciano is a red wine with Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin (labelled DOC on the bottles). In the territory of Montepulciano is also produced the wine called Rosso di Montepulciano. A quality wine of lighter taste.

Nobile di Montepulciano History

The oldest document referable to Montepulciano wine dates back to 789. The cleric offered the church of San Silvestro a piece of land cultivated with vineyards located in the castle of Policiano. Another document dated 1350 even establishes the clauses of the time for the trade and export of Montepulciano wine.

For some reason, at the beginning of 1900s the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano seems to be something of the past. In 1933, at the first market exhibition of the typical wines of Siena, the Fanetti Winery presented a fine red wine and obtained wide acclaim. At the time, most of the wine produced in the Montepulciano area was Chianti.

Did you know?

The Fanetti winery, the first winery of the modern era to officially recognize the qualities
of the Nobile di Montepulciano wine, is it still active in Montepulciano today !

In the 60s we witness the awakening of viticulture for the production of Vino Nobile. Finally the DOCG recognition arrives in 1980, after which the national and international fame of the Nobile wine has never stop growing.

Nobile di Montepulciano

Do not confuse the Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG for the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC! The latter is from Abruzzo region, in central Italy.
A Nobile pair perfectly with meat in general but also with wild meat.
Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG can only be produced from grapes produced in the Montepulciano area.

• It must be composed of a minimum of 70% of Sangiovese
• Other types of grappes can be used for the remaining 30%,
• White grapes must not exceed 5% of the mix
• Aromatic vines are excluded with the exception of Malvasia Bianca Lunga

Wine tasting in Montepulciano

As true lover of good food and good wines, we have made an non exhaustive selection of wineries
in this short blog post. Have a look and get to know some of the most iconic wineries of Montepulciano.

To guarantee a good quality wine, a Nobile must mature at least 2 years starting from January 1rst following the harvest. The producer is free to choose the aging method as follows:

• 24 months in wooden barrels of any types
• 18 months minimum in wooden barrels (but not extended beyond April 30 of the year following the harvest) plus the remaining months in another container
• 12 months minimum in wooden barrels (but not extended beyond April 30 of the year following the harvest) and the remaining months in another container, up to 6 months in bottle

The Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva must undergo a maturation period of over 3 years, of which a minimum of 6 months of aging in bottle.

Nobile di Montepulciano Organoleptic characteristics

Thanks to the great diversity of production and aging methods of the 75 cellars producing Nobile wine, not all wines have the same flavors and aromas. Tasting of a Nobile can never be boring! This way it is so much more pleasant to live, isn’t it ?!
We can however consider that all Nobile wines will have a similar aromas for our palates, as follows:

• Color: ruby, tending to garnet with aging
• Fragrance: intense, floral and ethereal perfume
• Taste: dry, balanced and persistent, with possible hints of wood

Rosso di Montepulciano

Rosso di Montepulciano is good to drink throughout the meal. It is particularly recommended for first courses with meat in sauce and for meats in general. It is pleasant, after a first course accompagny of a Rosso di Montepulciano, to open a good bottle of Nobile di Montepulciano for the main course, the palates of your guests will be delight.

The Rosso di Montepulciano wine is labelled DOC (Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin). Its production process is so controlled by law.
As for the Nobile, the Rosso must be produced from the grapes of the Montepulciano lands. The yield per hectare can however be slightly higher, 70 hl compared to 56 in Vino Nobile.

• It must be composed of a minimum of 70% of Sangiovese
• Other grapes may be present in the mix for the remaining 30%, Canaiolo, Mammolo, Merlot and / or Cabernet Sauvignon
• White grapes must not exceed 5% of the mix
• Aromatic vines are excluded with the exception of Malvasia Bianca Lunga

Instead of the 2 years required for a Noble, the Reds undergo a minimum aging period of 6 months.

Rosso di Montepulciano Organoleptic characteristics

As for his big brother, the Nobile di Montepulciano, the Rossi di Montepulciano vary from one producer to another. You are therefore condemned to taste various in order to better choose what you like best, what a great pity .. Obviously we invite you to taste in moderation. Here are some tips on where to have wine tastings in Montepulciano.
Our palates often find the following characteristics, with variation from one producer to another:

• Color: bright ruby, bright clarity
• Frangrance: intense, also with violet scent
• Taste: dry and slightly tannic

In Montepulciano there are about 75 different wineries producing the precious nectar and thousands of people who, from all over the world, come to enjoy the flavors of wine and the panoramas of the Val d’Orcia and Val di Chiana, as well as enjoying the visit of the city of Montepulciano. In here you can find our wineries selection. Too many wineries are too good, we have not been able to include them all and only selected a few, close to our heart.

All Montepulciano wines are good, so it is not possible for us to list them all. However, we have written a non-exhaustive guide with some of the names on the wine list of our restaurant “La Vecchia Posta“.

We wish you a good tasting and a pleasant stay in Tuscany. If you are interested in exploring other typical wine areas, read our guide to the Brunello di Montalcino. If you are organizing a trip you can always keep the Montepulciano weather monitored on our website.