, Around Abruzzo with Montepulciano

As we wrap up May I wanted to cover probably the most recognizable grapes when it comes to Abruzzo, which is the Montepulciano grape. Montepulciano is the 2nd most planted grape throughout Italy following Sangiovese. It is found mostly in central Italy in the regions of Abruzzo, Marche, Puglia and Molise.  

Montepulciano Territory 

In Puglia you can discover Montepulciano in the San Severo DOC and in the Biferno DOC of the Molise region. In the Marche region you will find this grape in the Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno DOC’s where it is also blended with Sangiovese as well as the Offida Rosso DOCG. For today we are focusing on Montepulciano in Abruzzo where there is over 42,000 acres planted between a 30-mile distance between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea. In Abruzzo the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC covers the largest territory and volume within the region, but there is also the Colline Teramane DOCG. You can also find Montepulciano in Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo that I shared earlier this month.  

The Montepulciano Grape 

The Montepulciano grape is thick-skinned, late ripening grape that produces in high yields. The wines are dry, medium to full-bodied that are deep in color. The wines tend to be high in acidity with a moderate amount of alcohol. Depending on the territory and producer the wines can be easy and approachable or have more depth.  

The Wines 

I tried several Montepulciano wines this week to share.  

The Agriverde winery is deeply rooted in Abruzzo’s history with the Di Carlo family since the

This Article was originally published on Vino Travels Italy

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