Montepulciano

Montepulciano is a dry, medium to full-bodied red from Italy, best known in the Abruzzo region. Expect juicy black cherry, plum and blackberry with herbs, spice and a touch of earthiness. Rich without being overly heavy, it’s a brilliant match for pizza, lasagne, spaghetti bolognese, burgers, sausages, roast meats and mature cheese.

Taste:

Juicy, generous and very easy to like.

Montepulciano is typically dry and medium to full-bodied, with moderate acidity and smooth to noticeable tannins. Expect black cherry, plum, blackberry and red cherry, often joined by dried herbs, pepper, liquorice and earthy spice.

Richer or oak-aged bottles can bring darker flavours of chocolate, tobacco, vanilla and coffee into the mix.

It has enough body to satisfy anyone who likes a bold red, but usually keeps things softer and fruitier than something like Cabernet Sauvignon. In other words, a crowd-pleaser – without being boring about it.

Food Pairings:

Montepulciano and Italian comfort food get along extremely well.

Its combination of ripe fruit and acidity makes it brilliant with tomato-based pasta dishes. Try it with lasagne, spaghetti bolognese, beef ragù, meatballs in tomato sauce, sausage pasta, baked pasta or a simple tomato and basil sauce.

Pizza is another very easy win. Margherita, pepperoni, meat feast, sausage, mushroom and prosciutto all work beautifully.

For something meatier, pair Montepulciano with burgers, meatballs, Italian sausages, roast beef, beef stew, pork chops, roast pork, lamb chops or grilled steak.

For meat-free dinners, try aubergine parmigiana, mushroom pasta, lentil stew, roasted vegetables or a rich tomato and bean casserole.

Parmesan, Pecorino, mature Cheddar and aged Italian cheeses are all excellent choices if the cheese board makes an appearance.

Similar Wines:

If you enjoy Montepulciano, Sangiovese is worth exploring for another classic Italian red with plenty of acidity and food-pairing potential.

Nero d'Avola is a great shout if you love the darker fruit and richer side of Montepulciano, while Barbera offers lots of juicy fruit with even brighter acidity.

You might also enjoy Primitivo if you want to dial up the ripeness, richness and body.

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More About Montepulciano:

Montepulciano is a red grape grown widely across central and southern Italy, but it’s particularly associated with Abruzzo and the well-known Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wines.

And now for the bit Italy could have made considerably easier.

Montepulciano the grape has nothing to do with Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The latter comes from the Tuscan town of Montepulciano and is made predominantly from Sangiovese, not Montepulciano.

So: Montepulciano d'Abruzzo = the Montepulciano grape. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano = Sangiovese from a place called Montepulciano.

There will not be a test. Probably.