Talamonti farms in the hills of Abruzzo, on the Adriatic side of central Italy, where Montepulciano has been the workhorse red for centuries. The grape is not Sangiovese and has nothing to do with the town of Montepulciano in Tuscany, a confusion the label has been fighting for generations.
- Montepulciano, Abruzzo's own red grape.
- Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, the appellation, one of Italy's largest.
- 2018, a warm, generous vintage across central Italy.
- Medium body, medium tannin, dry.
- 13% alcohol, 750ml.
How it is made
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is a varietal wine by law: the bottle must be Montepulciano, nothing blended in. The grape is thick-skinned and late-ripening, which gives colour and tannin without much effort, and it holds its acidity even in hot years. Abruzzo runs from the Apennines down to the sea, and the vineyards sit on hillsides of clay and limestone between the two.
How it tastes
Black cherry leads, with dried herbs, leather and a tobacco note underneath. The tannins are firm but rounded, the acidity medium, the whole thing dry and savoury rather than sweet. It is a red that tastes of the place rather than of the barrel.
Good to know
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is one of the few Italian reds that carries its grape in its own name, which is why the Tuscan town of Montepulciano, home to Vino Nobile, causes so much confusion on wine lists. They are unrelated: different grape, different region, different wine.
Contains alcohol.
