Montepulciano Red Wine Variety in Australia

This variety is not taken all that seriously in Italy, but it is set for a superstar role in Australia.

Six top quality Australian Montepulciano wines

Montepulciano is a red wine grape variety originating in Italy and now being used by a small number of winemakers in Australia. After Sangiovese it is the second most planted variety in Italy.

A widespread and old grape variety often has many synonyms. All of 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.

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 over much of Central and Southern Italy. This variety 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. Elsewhere in Central and Southern Italy it is often found in blends but there are many varietal wines as well.

Montepulciano in Australia In Australia

Until a decade ago there were virtually no plantings of Montepulciano in Australia. Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Barbera were the Italian red wine varieties attracting the most attention from growers and winemakers.

It is quickly emerging as a very suitable variety for warmer Australian areas and is gaining recognition at regional and specialist wine shows.

prize winning Montes

At the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show (AAVWS) in 2017 a total of 24 Montepulciano wines were judged. The judges awarded four Gold Medals, seven Silver and five Bronzes.

Alejandro Riverland
Amadio Adelaide Hills
Amato vino Riverland
Artwine Adelaide Hills
Atze's Corner Wines Barossa Valley
Ballycroft Barossa Valley
Banrock Station Riverland
Bassham Riverland
Bellwether Coonawarra
Bird in Hand Adelaide Hills
Brown Brothers King Valley
By Jingo Adelaide Hills
Calabria Family Wines Riverina
Catlin Wines Adelaide Hills
Cirami Estate Riverland
Collins and Co Wines Barossa Valley
Delinquente Wine Riverland
Dell'uva Wines Barossa Valley
Di Giorgio Coonawarra
Epsilon Barossa Valley
Feathertop Alpine Valleys
First Drop Barossa Valley
Five o’Clock Project McLaren Vale
Galli Estate Heathcote
Grand Casino Riverland
Hesketh Wines Barossa Valley
Kangarilla Road McLaren Vale
Kimbolton Langhorne Creek
Kirrihill Estates Clare Valley
Livewire Wines Geelong
Lonely Vineyard Eden Valley
Mr Riggs Wine Company McLaren Vale
Mundoo Ridge Riverland
Next Crop Wines Langhorne Creek
Oak Works Riverland
Purple Hands Wines Barossa Valley
Red Feet King Valley
Ringer Reef Winery Alpine Valleys
Rolf Binder Barossa Valley
Salena Estate Riverland
Saltram Barossa Valley
Savina Lane Granite Belt
Scott and La Prova Adelaide Hills
Serafino Wines McLaren Vale
Springton Hills Eden Valley
Symphony Hill Wines Granite Belt
Taylors Clare Valley
Tenafeate Creek Wines Adelaide Plains
Tscharke Barossa Valley
Unico Zelo Adelaide Hills
Way Wood Wines McLaren Vale
Whistling Kite Riverland
Woodstock McLaren Vale

Last Update 18 April 2018

More Italian red wine varieties used in Australia

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Monte and food

Italian wines made with this variety are often light to medium bodied and are suitable for the Italian standby foods of pizza and pasta, especially with tomato based sauces.

A few Italian wines and many Australian wines are more substantial with firmer tannins. These are more enjoyable paired with heartier meat dishes, game sausages and the like.