Grape Variety: Montepulciano

Colour: Red

The Montepulciano grape is quite prolific and grows effortlessly in Abruzzo (where it is the dominant red variety), the Marche (where it shares equal billing with Sangiovese) and Umbria (where Sagrantino and Sangiovese are partners). In Abruzzo, in particular, the vines are often planted with northern exposures, these aspects providing the benefit of a cool down period from the intense summer heat. These cooler temperatures allow for the “grapes to rest” and not deplete the vines of their acids and flavour compounds through avoiding over-respiration.  Montepulciano grapes are plump with plenty of juice. Unlike most other varietals Montepulciano makes perfectly decent wine even when produced in large quantities. The grape itself has a deep purple and ruby colour to its juice, less acidity than many Italian varieties and moderate & ripe tannins. The resulting wines thus tend to be softer and more accessible than Sangiovese or Nebbiolo, for example.

Montepulciano characteristically has a fairly intense nose of strawberry and ripe plum fruit, combined with hints of leather and fading red flowers. On the palate it is dry, warm and quite smooth with good freshness. Flavours of morello cherries, peaches and plums are backed by soft yet persistent sweet tannins and subtle tobacco notes. It is easily enjoyed young or aged with moderate oak extraction for no more than twelve to fifteen months.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo was designated as a DOC in 1968. It covers most of Abruzzo ranging from Molise in the south, the Marche in the north and inland against the Apennines Mountains. The wines are at least 85% Montepulciano with Sangiovese permitted, but not required, at up to 15%. The Riservas need to be aged a minimum of two years before release, with at least 6 months of that in wood. In 1995 another DOC was created called Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane. This was a carved out subset of the larger zone. The chief differences are that the wines must be at least 90% Montepulciano and the Riservas are aged a minimum of 3 years before release. Unlike other areas of Italy where smaller zones of quality wines were carved from larger ones, this DOC’s wines are not appreciably better (or worse) than the larger zone.

Cantina Sociale Frentana, with its progressive vinicultural outlook, is located in Rocca San Giovanni, south west of Pescara. The supreme quality of the terroir allied to the natural ebullience of the grape variety creates something very special. The wine is fermented in the state-of-the-art winery in stainless steel tanks accentuating the natural ripe fruit flavours. Bold Montepulciano with fruit as thundering as a church organ being walloped by a demented orang-utan - yet nowhere near as vulgar. The combination is irresistible: plum-skin fruit allied to leathery warmth with an all-over chocolate finish. A wine that your bank balance will love repeatedly.

Montepulciano is capable of greatness in the hands of such growers as Gianni Masciarelli who reduce yields dramatically and perform careful vinification. The Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Marina Cvetic, sourced from three vineyard sites that are mostly around 30 years old is a dense wine with a sense of balance, deep, dark, brooding black fruits, earth, truffle and mineral, all surrounded by copious yet ripe tannins and perfect acidity. That makes this bruiser light enough on its feet to accompany even the famed “crudo” (read “raw”) seafood preparations so prevalent in Abruzzo.

Sourced from two of the same vineyards as Marina Cvetic the Villa Gemma is no stranger to the Gambero Rosso, regularly garnering the three glasses. The wine spends almost two years in French oak before resting another year in bottle prior to release. This fills the senses with soaring notes of coffee, cigar box, thick black fruits, minerals, spice, currants… the whole sensory caboodle. Powerful on the palate yet somehow civilized (probably due to the bottle aging at the cellar) the Gemma is opaque with a rich, elegant and complex nose. The first impact gives both power and refinement, then the fruit appears followed by flavours of tar, cocoa beans, balsam and the classic liquorice.

The Montepulciano d’Abruzzo from Edoardo Valentini is only made in certain vintages and then minuscule yields allied to a reputation for hermetic privacy means that receiving an allocation at all is doubtful. It is difficult to describe so pure and yet brimming with intangibles, except to say that it has that perfect equipoise of delicate fruit and minerality that characterises all great wine (and particularly red Burgundy). We enjoyed a bottle at San Vincenzo’s famous seafood restaurant Gambero Rosso. There was a different aroma in every swirl, an ever-changing canvas of flavours and textures in every mouthful.

The grape features heavily in the Marche in the Rosso Picenos of Ciu Ciu and Aurora. In these 50/50 blends Montepulciano provides the earthy ballast whilst Sangiovese gives herbal notes and a pleasing acidity.

Whilst the junior examples of Montepulciano can be quaffed happily on their own or with a pizza, the sturdier versions require beefier food. Paccheri is tubular shaped pasta, about an inch in diameter, but falling ‘flat’ once cooked.  The sauce is a cinghiale (wild boar) sauce...a delicious combination with Masciarelli’s “baby” Montepulciano, for example. Local pork products include prosciutto d’Aquila, similar to the Spanish jamon Serrano, and ventricina, a sausage made with pork, chilli, wild fennel and orange zest. As in all other mountainous regions, the shepherds prepare lamb just as it was hundreds of years ago. It might be cooked “a catturro” (in a large copper pan in the open air) with basil, onion, sage and chilli, or with cheese and egg, or all’arrabbiata, which is alive with chilli. Rabbit casserole is another dish that would take kindly to a hearty Montepulciano.