This blog came from a radio script that aired January 19, 2019 on The Spirits of New Mexico. The revamped show now includes an on-air tasting of a wine in the $20-$40 range and a detailed background of the wine region and subregion from which the sampled wine originated.
On a previous radio show about Tuscany, we sampled a Chianti Classico Reserva. That inspired another trip to this wine region for another classic Tuscan wine. Located in the heart of Italy as well as in the hearts of many lovers of Italian wine, this is the region most wine drinkers recognize. Tuscany itself is divided into a number of sub-regions; the broadest being Chianti Classico, which was the original Chianti region.
There are a number of terms and acronyms that address Tuscan wine quality. They aid in always selecting palatable and tasty wines. DOC and DOCG: (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) are quality standards that define the types of grapes permitted, aging requirements, etc. DOC is a broader classification, while DOCG is more restrictive and defines more rigorous growing, aging and quality specifications. The standards also relate to physical locations defined similar to an American Viticultural Area (AVA) designation. For example, the Chianti region is rated DOC, but the Chianti Classico subregion is DOCG.
- In Italy there are 329 DOC regions and 73 DOCG.
- Riserva refers to additional aging standards, generally 1 year, but this varies by region
- IGP/IGT: Anewer standard created to encompass wines made with non-Italian grapes, which included the so-called Super Tuscans.
Tuscany Wine Region: A brief history
The cities of Florence (It: Firenza), Montalcino and Sienna mark the northern, middle and southern boundaries of Tuscany. There are 15 sub-regions of note within the broader Chianti classifications. There are 33 DOC-designated areas and 11 DOCG-designated areas.
Historically wine making began with the Etruscans in the eighth century BCE. Florence became the center of wine production with a Florentine guild formed in 1282. Many of the landowners leased their lands to sharecroppers who in turn gave them half the grapes. Various communes formed to assist in the marketing.
Bettino Ricasoli became the first winemaker to identify quality wines and the Sangiovese grape in particular. In the mid-1800s powdery mildew, phylloxera and war saw a decline in wine production that did not pick up again until the 1970s. Prior to that the ubiquitous “straw” Chianti bottle, also known as a fiasco, was found to be more useful as a candle holder that a repository of fine wine.
Tuscan wines and grapes
Sangiovese is the premier red wine grape, often blended with other red or white grapes. More Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are being grown there, influenced by the super Tuscan wines. While the reds dominate many Tuscan listings there are also exceptional whites to discover using Trebbiano, Vermentino and Vernaccia Italian white grapes.
- San Gimignano is a small walled medieval city near Sienna known for their white wines using an ancient version of Vernaccia grown in the sandstone hillsides. Our group stayed there in a pensione while we explored the area. At the time I was more fascinated with the San Gimignano torture museum than their white wine grape. A lost opportunity.
- Bulgheri DOC is a unique coastal region within Tuscany. Only up to 70% of Sangiovese is permitted, but up to 80% of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot is allowed. This is where many super Tuscan wines originated, which I suspect influenced this rule change.
- Brunello di Montalcino is the Brunello Sangiovese clone grown in selected parts of Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino is a lower-rated wine offering good value. Brunello wines are among the most expensive Italian wines.
- Chianti Classico wines offer consistently good quality that becomes transcendent in Reserva styles.
- Chianti Rufina is one of the most famous of the seven subzones that fall under Italy’s iconic Chianti DOCG. The area, in the hills to the east of Florence, has a more continental climate and higher altitude at 1,600 feet.
- Montepulciano de Abruzzo is the Montepulciano grape grown in Abruzzo province in east central Italy. These popular wines typically add the “de Abruzzo” to avoid confusion with our featured wine described below.
Wines of Montepulciano (Vino Nobile di Montepulciano)
The town of Montepulciano lies in southern Tuscany. The medieval town is situated on a hill in the province of Siena. The soils are sandy and clay-rich. The town enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate to nurture the vineyards. The wines are highly praised and comparable in quality to Brunello, but at a much lower price point.
The wine making:
By regulation, Nobile wines can only be produced from vineyards surrounding the town of Montepulciano. The wine is made predominantly from Sangiovese, known locally as Prugnolo gentile. The blend must contain at least 70 percent; however, some producers use a much higher percentage depending on vintage. The wine is aged for a minimum of two years. One of those years takes place in oak barrels or casks, and it must be aged for three years total if it is labeled Riserva.
When young, Nobile is vibrant and fresh in the glass, showing bright ruby red colors and aromas of lively red fruit. Due to its solid structure and generous acidity, Nobile is an extremely age-worthy wine, with well-made examples capable of improving gracefully for over 20 years!
History of Montepulciano
The wines from this town were remarked on by Francesco Redi, a physician and biologist in 1685. He claimed that “Montepulciano is the king of all wines.” The name Vino Nobile di Montepulciano was created by Adamo Fanetti in 1925 after producing several tons of the wine. Until 1930 and beyond, the wine was officially called “Vino rosso scelto di Montepulciano,” but Adamo’s name for it finally stuck.
Even our own third President and fine wines expert, Thomas Jefferson, fell under the spell of Vino Nobile, stating, “For the present I confine myself to the physical want of some good Montepulciano…this being a very favorite wine and habit having rendered the light and high flavored wines of a necessity of life with me. It was most superlatively good.”
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano received its DOC (Denomination of Controlled Origin) on July 12, 1966. The DOCG (Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin) was authorized on July 1, 1980
Wines produced in Montepulciano: As with the wines of Montalcino and their Brunellos, not all the wines are labeled Nobile.
- Rosso di Montepulciano – made primarily from Sangiovese grape again to a minimum of 70% and blended with Canaiolo Nero (10%–20%) and small amounts of other local varieties and aged in oak barrels for 1 year.
- Nobile di Montepulciano
- Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva
- Grappa – By Italian law, the same company cannot be both a certified winery and a certified distillery, therefore, the Grappa is produced in cooperation, but, is usually sold by the winery and bears the winery name on its label.
What we are tasting
Gattavecchi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2015 14% ABV $26.99 at Total Wines
This wine comes from the town of Montepulciano. Like Montalcino it’s an ancient hill town and known for its premier wine; Vino Nobile di Montepulciano or the wine of the nobles as many nobles and even presidents have enjoyed the wines of Montepulciano. The obvious confusion over this wine comes from the Abruzzo province, which uses the Montepulciano grape. While also a fine wine it is not in the same category as our present wine.
This wine is 90% Prugnolo Gentile, 8% Canaiolo Nero and 2% Colorino Tuscano
Canaiolo (can-nai-olo) or Canaiolo Nero was a dominant Tuscan grape in the eighteenth century. It was used in the Governo process (fourteenth century), which required high sugar-content grapes to restart a stuck (incomplete) fermentation. Canaiolo grapes could be dried, concentrating sugars without rotting, and added to the must of a stuck fermentation to restart it.
After the phylloxera epidemic Canaiolo lost popularity as it was difficult to graft unto American root stock. In blends with Sangiovese it provides the fruitiness and softness that Merlot provides in a Bordeaux blend. Colorino or Colorino Tuscano is a red wine grape that lends deep color to a wine and some structure similar to the use of Petit Verdot in a Bordeaux blend.
This was my first Montepulciano, but surely not my last. The intensity, rich fruit flavors, complexity and long finish was comparable to a Brunello. I’ll have to agree with Mr. Jefferson on this one. Earthy and ripe, the wine shows flavors of blackberry, cassis, ripe plum and mint. The structure is medium to full-bodied, with well-integrated tannin, and a long finish.
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