Montepulciano
Definition - What does Montepulciano mean?
Montepulciano is a red wine grape variety indigenous to the Tuscany region of Italy. Often confused for Vino di Nobile Montepulciano, which is produced primarily from the Sangivese grape variety, Montepulciano has different characteristics and flavors than Vino di Nobile Montepulciano.
Montepulciano is a plump juicy grape that produces deep ruby colored wines with flavors of stone fruit and a smooth balanced mouthfeel.
WineFrog explains Montepulciano
One of the primary grapes used to produce Offida Rosso and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, popular wines of the Denominazione di origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG), Montepulciano is widely planted in Southern and Central Italy. Indigenous to Tuscany, the grape is produced in 20 of Italy’s wine regions by permit of the Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC).
Often confused with wine named for the town of Montepulciano, the wine grape, Montepulciano is used to make Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wines. The grape grows well in the warmer climates of central and southern Italy, as the grape has a tendency to ripen late in the growing season. Montepulciano is a juicy thin-skinned grape with pronounced pigment and tannins that produce wines with moderate acidity, and a deep ruby color.
With flavors of plum and a well rounded and smooth mouthfeel, Montepulciano produces wines that are meant to be drunk young, within 3 to 4 years from vintage and are considered to be smooth drinkable wines.
