Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The appellation falls within the hilly area of the Comune di Montepulciano, at elevations ranging from 250 to 600 metres, excluding the valley-floor zone of the Valdichiana.
• The geological substrate consists largely of Pliocene marine sediments with a predominance of sands, while other soils develop over early Pleistocene continental sediments towards the Valdichiana.
• The lithology comprises marine sands and clays with the presence of conglomerates in the eastern part of the territory; the sands are characteristic of Montepulciano compared with other nearby Tuscan zones.
• Four soil types are distinguished, including those developed over sandy or silty-clay marine Pliocene deposits and those over Pleistocene paleo-soils or recent soils, with varying water availability and productivity.
• The climate is Mediterranean in character, with a mean Winkler index of 1,900 degree-days, falling to 1,750 degree-days at higher elevations, and a long-term mean annual rainfall of 690 mm, reaching approximately 740 mm in the southern zone.

• The oldest document referable to the wine of Montepulciano dates to 789, when the cleric Arnipert donated to the church of San Silvestro a plot of land planted with vines in the castle of Policiano.
• In 1685 Francesco Redi celebrated the wine in the dithyramb Bacco in Toscana, calling it the 'King' of all wines, and the poem enjoyed great success, passing from court to court until it reached the hands of William III, King of England.
• The wine received the Denominazione di Origine Controllata in 1966 and was among the first in Italy to be awarded the DOCG in 1980, as well as being the first Italian wine to carry an anti-adulteration seal on the bottle closure.

• The wines present an intense ruby-red colour tending towards garnet with age, and display an intense, ethereal bouquet with fruity, floral, and spiced notes.
• On the palate the wine is highly structured, balanced, and elegant, with a pronounced tannin presence that confers good ageing potential.

• The scarce summer rainfall, with a July mean of under 30 mm, produces a moderate water deficit that favours the ripening phase at the expense of vegetative growth.
• In September and early October, the wide diurnal temperature range, particularly at higher elevations, promotes aromatic and phenolic complexity in the grapes.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Italy

Sources

• Specification (EUR-Lex, single document)
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-IT-A1308
• Official trade body site — Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano