Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is a powerful, durable and expressive wine, and one of the most famous and significant in central Italy. It originates from the grape of the same name, which has found its ideal home in the Abruzzo region and is cultivated in all the provinces of the region. According to legend, one of its first admirers was the Carthaginian commander Hannibal, who used this red wine to reinvigorate his soldiers while he took Rome by storm. Today, in order to achieve the best territorial expressions from this vine, long ageing in wood is preferred, making the aromatic profile broader and more harmonious. The result is an intense, full-bodied red wine, with ethereal aromas of red fruit and spices, and a full, structured flavour, perfect for pairing with meat dishes, cheeses and the many regional specialities of central Italy.
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is a powerful, durable and expressive wine, and one of the most famous and significant in central Italy. It originates from the grape of the same name, which has found its ideal home in the Abruzzo region and is cultivated in all the provinces of the region. According to legend, one of its first admirers was the Carthaginian commander Hannibal, who used this red wine to reinvigorate his soldiers while he took Rome by storm. Today, in order to achieve the best territorial expressions from this vine, long ageing in wood is preferred, making the aromatic profile broader and more harmonious. The result is an intense, full-bodied red wine, with ethereal aromas of red fruit and spices, and a full, structured flavour, perfect for pairing with meat dishes, cheeses and the many regional specialities of central Italy.
The Montepulciano d'Abruzzo variety is one of the most important grapes of central Italy and shares its fame with the Sangiovese. In fact, it is no coincidence that these two varieties have often been confused in the past, to the point of assuming the same name due to a lack of ampelographic studies. This was a complex situation that continued until the early 1900s. It was only thanks to the intervention of Giancarlo Moretti that all uncertainty was cleared up and it emerged that Sangiovese was the same variety also known as Montepulciano Primaticcio, as it was called in ancient texts, and that the real Montepulciano Abruzzo was instead the Cordisco grape. Where did this grape originate and how did it arrive in Abruzzo? Like most of the red grape varieties in central-southern Italy, it was probably imported by the Greeks in ancient times. It was also famous in Roman times and was highly appreciated by the Latin poet Ovid and by the leader of Carthage Hannibal, who used it to energise his army during the Second Punic War. Most probably its centre of diffusion in Abruzzo was the area of Torre de' Passeri, in the Peligna Valley overlooking the Adriatic, and from here it spread throughout the region. A rare document by Tommaso Campione of Pescara confirms its history and explains how some vines in the area were the only ones to survive the phylloxera disaster. In short, this grape, territory and history reflect the presence of human activity since ancient times.
This variety is grown practically all over the Abruzzo region, and over the years has become the benchmark for all regional grapes. Nebbiolo dominates in the north, Aglianico in the south, Sangiovese in the centre-west and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo in the east. Although it was not widely recognised in the past, it is only in recent decades that, thanks to the hand, tenacity and efforts of great producers and the refinement of new technologies, it has risen to the top ranks of the best Italian red wines. It is cultivated in the provinces of Pescara, L'Aquila, Chieti and Teramo, where it offers a range of different but always unique characteristics. The broad hills that plunge steeply into the coastline and cross the national parks connect the Apennine mountains to the Adriatic Sea. Nature, colours and vineyards illuminate a spectacular scenery, which has remained intact and healthy, where the influence of man has never changed the shape of the landscape. This is where the great wineries such as Emidio Pepe and Valentini shine, who have focused on this variety, giving birth to red wines of great territorial consistency, real embodiments of the land of Abruzzo. The grape prefers hilly terrains and alongside the coastal production in the Teramano area there is also a large area cultivated in the shadow of the Apennines that heads towards the mountains, at an altitude of no more than 600 metres. Here, the Mediterranean sun, sea breezes and stony soil have created the ideal conditions for the best Montepulciano d'Abruzzo to flourish.
This is a variety with a medium-sized, pyramid-shaped bunch that ripens late. It has a thick and consistent skin with a dark and gloomy colour, as well as an impenetrable deep red coat. For this reason it was often used as a blending grape to provide colour and body. The aromatic profile is intense, powerful and expansive, and becomes even more so with ageing. Black and red berry fruit are the most typical scents, which can normally be mixed with more or less evident notes of violets, dark spices and aromatic herbs, with tertiary hints of chocolate, eucalyptus, underbrush, tobacco and vanilla caused by ageing in wood. With long ageing, the fruit becomes jammy in the more complex versions. Finally, that pleasant and characteristic rustic sensation typical of the territory completes the scene. On the palate it exhibits a perfect mix of smoothness, strength and tannic astringency, often backed up by a good level of alcohol and well-integrated substance. All of this is true for the more full-bodied reds, while the younger versions, such as Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Villa Medoro, present a fresher and lighter body, with lively tannins and good ageing potential.
The best Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wines are paired with meat-based first and second courses. The classic combination with arrosticini is a typical must, as well as spaghetti alla chitarra with wild boar or hare sauce, maccheroni alla mugnaia with lamb ragu, polenta all'abruzzese, porchetta and pecora alla cottura.
Are you looking for the perfect red wine to impress your guests and complete your meal? On Callmewine you will find a wide selection of the best online red wines. Discover Montepulciano d'Abruzzo prices and characteristics, and allow yourself to be guided by the detailed technical sheets prepared by our expert staff.