Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG

DOCG area for red wine in the Italian region of Tuscany. The zone covers 1,100 hectares of vineyards at 250 to 600 metres above sea level on sandy or sandstone soils in the municipality of Montepulciano (province of Siena). Located 120 kilometres southeast of Florence in the upper Chiana Valley, the town is one of the most beautiful in Tuscany and is known as the "Pearl of the Renaissance". Once a year in August, the historic "Bravio delle Botti" wine barrel race takes place here, in which representatives of the eight "enemy" districts roll five quintals of wine barrels through the steep, narrow streets.

History

Montepulciano was the home of two popes and Paul III (1468-1549) preferred the wine of his home town to all others. His cellar master praised it as "perfect wine" in 1549. The origin of wine dates back to 1300, it was already famous throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. The Italian poet Francesco Redi (1626-1698) titled it the "King of Wines" in his poem "Bacchus in Tuscany", in order to provide wine for the royal court in London. Many other poets have sung his praises, and today he is also known as the "doyen of all Tuscan wines". Traditionally, the best wine was always reserved for the Pope and the Curia in the Vatican. This is also the origin of the additional or decorative epithet "Vino Nobile", the wine for the nobility, which was only used from the 18th century onwards. Today, this red wine is one of the most famous and most expensive wines in Italy.

DOCG rules

With Brunello di Montalcino, it is one of the two wines that were the first to receive the DOCG classification in 1980. From the 2019 vintage onwards, "Toscana" has been added to the designation on the label. This is to avoid confusion with the DOCG wine Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Colline Teramane from the Abruzzo region. The wine must be made from at least 70% Prugnolo Gentile (a Sangiovese clone), as well as other authorised varieties (maximum 30%, of which a maximum of 10% are white varieties) and has an aroma of violets. It matures for at least two years in oak or chestnut barrels, must have at least 12.5% alcohol by volume and is extremely long-lived. It may only be bottled in the Bordeaux region. With three years of ageing (of which six months in the bottle) and 13% alcohol by volume, it may bear the designation Riserva. Red wines with simpler regulations are classified as DOC Rosso di Montepulciano.

UGA (Unità Geografica Aggiuntiva)

Since the 2021 vintage, twelve sub-zones can be indicated on the label. They are based on the historical parishes (Pieve = parish) into which the growing area was divided since the Middle Ages. The areas designated as UGA (Unità Geografica Aggiuntiva) are Pieve Argiano, Pieve Ascianello, Pieve Badia, Pieve Caggiole, Pieve Cerliana, Pieve Cervognano, Pieve Gracciano, Pieve Le Grazie, Pieve San Biagio, Pieve Sant'Albino, Pieve Valardegna and Pieve Valiano. The equal UGAs do not constitute a classification, but allow a more precise identification of the origin.

When the UVA is indicated, stricter production rules apply. Only grapes from a vineyard that is at least 15 years old may be used. The maximum yield is limited to 7,000 kg/ha. The wine must be made from at least 85% Sangiovese and a maximum of 15% of other autochthonous varieties such as Canaiolo Nero (maximum 5%), Mammolo and Ciliegiolo. International and white varieties are not allowed. It must be matured for at least 36 months, of which at least twelve months in wooden barrels and twelve months in the bottle. No trade in cask wine is allowed. Bottling is only allowed for the producer.

Producers

The best-known of the approximately 50 producers of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano include Antinori, Avignonesi, Bindella, Boscarelli, Canneto, Capoverso di Adriana Avignonesi, Carpineto, Contucci, Dei, Fassati, Fattoria Del Cerro, Fattoria della Talosa, Fattoria di Palazzo Vecchio, Il Macchione, La Braccesca, La Calonica, Le Berne, Le Casalte, Lodola Nuova, Maria Caterina Dei, Massimo Romeo, Nottola, Poliziano, Redi, Ruffino, Salcheto, Trerose, Valdipiatta and Villa Sant'Anna.

Image: © Consorzio Vino Nobile di Montepulciano