Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG
The town of Montepulciano in the southeast of Tuscany is host to one of the region's most ancient wines, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. In style one might say that the best Vino Nobile is a combination of the grace and finesse of fine Chianti Riservas and the power of Brunello.
They are certainly muscular wines that can require patient cellaring. Sangiovese in the guise of Prugnolo Gentile forms the bulk of the typical blend here, and many producers choose to ignore the optional white varieties that traditionally have been used, but are no longer mandated. Softer red blending grapes are used to reduce the toughness of Prugnolo in its youth. Vineyards are mostly planted on gentle southeast facing slopes that become rather steeper around the town itself.
While Vino Nobile di Montepulciano has had a good reputation for several centuries and was, surprisingly, Italy’s first appellation to receive coveted DOCG status, there is no doubt that the region lies in the shadow of its more famous Tuscan neighbors, Montalcino and Chianti Classico.
It’s status as the red headed stepchild of the "big three" seems to have led to a vicious circle whereby the price levels for its top wines are, by-and-large, well below those of its neighbors. This in turn has helped to channel investment toward the more glamorous regions of Tuscany. But is this fair?
On the face of it, Montepulciano would seem to have every advantage that the vineyards of Montalcino have. The region has a wealth of slopes, the same warm and sunny climate, and elevations that should give the wines a sense of balance. While Montepulciano uses a different variant of Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile) than Montalcino (Sangiovese Grosso) does, the differences between the two regions seem on paper to be less drastic than the final product would indicate.
Winemaking in Montalcino is a bit more variable, on the whole, and producers need to be chosen with care. That being said, Vino Nobile from a good producer in a good vintage will provide fantastic value when compared to Brunello.