Caleo farms Montepulciano on the hills of Abruzzo, the long stretch of central Italy where the Apennines run down to the Adriatic. The grape is the region's own, and it makes a darker, firmer wine than its reputation sometimes suggests.
- Montepulciano, the grape of Abruzzo.
- Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC, a protected appellation.
- 2020 vintage, a warm and generous year.
- Medium body, medium tannin, dry.
- 13% alcohol, 750ml.
How it is made
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC is a red wine made only from the Montepulciano grape, grown across the hills and coastal slopes of Abruzzo. The grape itself is not related to the Tuscan town of Montepulciano, or to the wine named after it, which is Sangiovese. The name is a coincidence that has confused drinkers for two centuries.
How it tastes
Black cherry leads, with dried herbs, leather and tobacco behind it. The tannins are firm and the acidity medium, so the fruit stays bright rather than sweet. A fruity, plummy opening, red plum and blackberry, then baking spices and a faint smoky note on the finish.
Where it comes from
Abruzzo sits east of Rome, between the Apennine mountains and the Adriatic coast. Montepulciano is the most planted red grape in the region and the backbone of its everyday drinking, though the best sites and older vines give wines with real depth and structure.
Good to know
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is one of the few Italian reds that carries both a grape and a place in its name, and the DOC rules require that the wine be made entirely from that grape within the region. It has been bottled under its own name since the 1960s, when the region began to move away from selling the wine in bulk.
