Montepulciano wine variety

Montepulciano is a red wine grape variety originating in Italy and now being used by a small number of winemakers in Australia

First let's clear up some confusion about the name. Montepulciano is the name of both a grape variety and a town in Tuscany. This can cause problems as the wine and the town are not connected.

There is a red wine called Vino Nobile di Montepulciano which is in fact made from the Sangiovese grape variety around the town of Montepulciano in Tuscany.

The grape variety Montepulciano is planted in Central and Southern Italy.

A widespread and old grape variety often has many synonms. The following are listed in Wikipedia: Cordicso, Cordiscio, Cordisco, Cordisio, Monte Pulciano, Montepulciano Cordesco, Montepulciano di Torre de Passeri, Montepulciano Primatico, Morellone, Premutico, Primaticcio, Primutico, Sangiovese Cardisco, Sangiovese Cordisco, Sangiovetto, Torre dei Passeri, Uva Abruzzese and Uva Abruzzi

This ripens late in the season and is thus unsuitable for the cooler northern regions of Italy.

Montepulciano the grape variety has its most noteworthy expression is in the wine Montepulciano d'Abruzzi from the mountainous region of Abruzzi on the Adriatic coast of Central Italy.

The wines made from this variety are typically full bodied with deep colour, spicy and plummy flavours and high levels of tannin. They usually need some bottle age.

You can pair Montepulciano wines with hearty Italian cuisine or with sharp cheeses.

Australian wineries with Montepulciano

It is early days yet for this variety in Australia but some promising results have been achieved by a few enterprising winemakers. Over the past couple of years the number of producers, particlaury in South Australia has increased.

Do you know of any more Australian wineries with this interesting variety?

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