Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC is a wine appellation near the Adriatic coast in the mountains of Abruzzo, producing red wines from the local Montepulciano grape.
Presentation
The Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC covers red wines made from the Montepulciano grape in the region of Abruzzo, in central eastern Italy.
This is a warm climate, somewhat hot in the summer, ideal for ripening of this variety. The wines are generally medium-bodied, with either steel aging or some light oak aging, have dark color, moderate tannins and zippy acidity.
Producers of Montepulciano wine in Italy generally follow one of 2 winemaking ideologies:
- Oak-aged Montepulciano wines. These wines exhibit deep black-fruit flavors such as boysenberry, blackberry and prune, licorice, and oaky flavors of cocoa, vanilla and mocha. The wines are inky and sometimes have grippy tannin so look for one with about 4 or so years of age.
- Neutral-aged Montepulciano wines. Because Montepulciano has a lot of anthocyanin (color) in the skins, some producers make a lighter style or even a rosato (rosé) by having less contact with the skins during fermentation. The wines come out bursting with red fruit flavors of sour cherry, red plum, cranberry and raspberry jam, and are supported with subtle notes of violet, dried herbs, and often an ash-like earthiness.
Territory
The Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC title was created in 1968, and covers a vast area of eastern Abruzzo.
It spans all 120 kilometers (75mi) of Abruzzo’s coastline (right up to the border with Molise in the south and Marche in the north) and spreads inland for roughly 32 kilometers (20mi).
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC wines are those that are produced in the five sub-zones of the Abruzzo region :
- Alto Tirino
- Casauria
- Teate
- Terre dei Peligni
- Terre dei Vestini
Grape Variety
A Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC must contain a minimum of 85% Montepulciano; Sangiovese is a common variety used in blending.
There is no minimum aging requirement for this wine, with the exception of a riserva, which must be aged for at least two years, with six months in wood, before release to the market.
Aromas and pairings
A typical Montepulciano wine has powerful fruit and sweet spice flavors. They vary from lighter notes of sour cherry, boysenberry, and plum to more powerful oregano, herbs and tobacco-like flavors.
The wine is dry, medium-bodied with high acidity and tannin levels, which makes it a great compliment to more savory foods like beef briskets, roasted meats, baked vegetables, and pasta bolognese.
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