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Montepulciano is the rustic charmer of Italian wine: dark, plummy, soft around the edges and cheerfully affordable. It is the everyday red of Abruzzo, on Italy’s Adriatic coast, and it has quietly become one of the best-value grapes on Australian shelves without anyone making a fuss.
One thing to clear up before the pasta arrives: Montepulciano the grape has nothing to do with Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which is a Tuscan wine made from Sangiovese in a town called Montepulciano. Italy enjoys this kind of thing. We do not, so remember: the grape is from Abruzzo, the town is in Tuscany, and they are not related.
Table of Contents
What Does Montepulciano Taste Like?
Black plum, blackberry and sour cherry, with dried oregano, a dusting of cocoa and a savoury, earthy finish. Full-bodied but soft, with rounded tannins and moderate acidity, it is a red that asks nothing more than a plate of something rustic and a second glass.
| Aspect | Rating out of 5 | Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | 🍷 | Dry, but with a charming hint of rustic fruitiness |
| Body | 🍷🍷🍷🍷 | As full-bodied as a bear in winter, robust and rich |
| Tannins | 🍷🍷🍷🍷 | Sturdy and bold, like an oak tree in a vineyard |
| Acidity | 🍷🍷🍷 | Pleasantly moderate, like the gentle roll of Abruzzo’s hills |
| Alcohol by Volume | 🍷🍷🍷 | Typically around 13–14%, as warming as a sunset glow |
Each wine glass icon is one point on a 5-point scale: one glass is low, five is high, based on the grape’s typical style.
Where It Grows
Abruzzo is the heartland, where Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is one of Italy’s most produced wines and, in the right hands, one of its most underrated. The grape also spreads down the Adriatic coast through Marche (as Rosso Conero) and into Puglia and Molise. It loves warmth and sea breezes and produces generously, which keeps prices kind.
Australia has adopted it enthusiastically. The King Valley and Riverland grow it well, and McLaren Vale, the Barossa and Langhorne Creek have found it copes beautifully with heat, producing soft, dark reds that taste like sunshine. Several Australian versions sell for the price of a pub meal and drink well above it.
How to Serve It
Temperature: 16–18°C. A quarter of an hour in the fridge in summer keeps the plum fruit fresh.
Glass: any decent red wine bowl; the glasses roundup has our value picks.
Decanting: optional. Thirty minutes helps a young one, but this is a wine built for opening and pouring. An aerator is plenty.
Ageing: most bottles are best within five years. Reserve versions from serious Abruzzo producers can go ten to fifteen, growing leathery and complex.
What to Eat With It
Pizza. Really: this may be the best pizza wine on Earth, soft enough for tomato and cheese, sturdy enough for salami. It also loves lasagne, meatballs, grilled lamb and salami platters. More matches in the pairing guides.
Celebrated Wine Labels
| Wine Label | Region | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Cantina Zaccagnini | Abruzzo, Italy | Classic Abruzzese, authentic flavours |
| Masciarelli | Abruzzo, Italy | Refined elegance, sophisticated craftsmanship |
| Fattoria La Valentina | Abruzzo, Italy | Artisanal charm, richly textured |
| Umani Ronchi | Marche and Abruzzo, Italy | Contemporary style, fruit-forward complexity |
| Il Feuduccio | Abruzzo, Italy | Barrel-aged refinement, luxurious depth |
Drink One Tonight
Meditrina Wines 50 Years Australia Montepulciano 2018
Everything Montepulciano promises, grown under Australian sun, with a few years of softening already done. Order pizza, open bottle, feel smug about the maths.
- Straight Australian Montepulciano, no blending required
- A 2018 with some bottle age already softening it
- Dark plum, soft tannins, made for pizza night
- Regularly around ten dollars, which is frankly silly
- At this price, the risk is buying six and calling it a cellar
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montepulciano the same as Vino Nobile di Montepulciano?
No, and it trips up everyone. Montepulciano the grape comes from Abruzzo. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a Tuscan wine made from Sangiovese in the town of Montepulciano. Same word, different grape, different region.
What is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo?
Simply Montepulciano grown in Abruzzo, the grape’s home region. It is one of Italy’s most popular reds and one of its best bargains, ranging from cheerful everyday bottles to serious reserves from the hills.
Is Montepulciano a heavy wine?
Full-bodied but soft. It has the weight of a big red without harsh tannin or high alcohol, which is why it suits everyday food so well.
What is Montepulciano similar to?
Think of it as a softer, plummier cousin of Sangiovese with less acidity, or an Italian answer to Merlot. Fans of Malbec will feel at home too.
Does Australia grow Montepulciano?
Increasingly, yes. It thrives in warm regions like the Riverland, McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek, and Australian versions are among the best-value reds in the country.
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