Montepulciano: The Tuscan Region That Doesn't Grow the Montepulciano Grape
- Rebecca Gouttenoire
- 8 hours ago
- 4 min read
If there's one Italian wine that regularly confuses wine lovers, it's Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Surely it's made from the Montepulciano grape?
Nope.
In one of Italy's greatest wine-related plot twists, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is named after the town, not the grape variety.
Instead, it's made primarily from Sangiovese, known locally by the beautiful name (though slightly ever more complicated) Prugnolo Gentile.
Meanwhile, the Montepulciano grape is a completely different variety, grown mainly in central and southern Italy, where it produces wines such as Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.
Confused already? Don't worry, you've joined a very large club. Let's untangle it.
Montepulciano is one of Tuscany's most spectacular hill towns.
Perched on a ridge between the Val d'Orcia and Val di Chiana, it has been producing wine for centuries. In fact, records mention its wines as early as the Middle Ages, and by the Renaissance they were already considered among Italy's finest.
Today, the town is famous for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, one of Italy's oldest and most prestigious appellations.
The Big Confusion: Town vs. Grape
Here's the key distinction:
🍇 Montepulciano (the grape)
A red grape variety grown a lot in Abruzzo, Marche and other regions of central and southern Italy.
🏛️ Montepulciano (the town)
A medieval Tuscan hill town where the wines are made primarily from Sangiovese.
So if someone offers you a glass of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, you're drinking a Tuscan Sangiovese, not the Montepulciano grape. This is the flagship wine of the region.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG
Grape composition
At least 70% Sangiovese, locally called Prugnolo Gentile.
The remaining percentage can include other approved local varieties that help round out the wine's character.
Ageing requirements
Regular Vino Nobile: aged 2 years, including at least 1 year in oak barrels
Riserva: aged at least 3 years
The result is a wine that's elegant rather than overpowering, with aromas of cherries, violets, dried herbs and spice, supported by beautifully balanced acidity and refined tannins.
It's one of Tuscany's great food wines, pairing wonderfully with roasted meats, wild boar, mushroom dishes and aged pecorino.
Rosso di Montepulciano DOC
Think of Rosso di Montepulciano as the younger sibling.
It follows many of the same principles but is made to be enjoyed much earlier.
Requirements
At least 70% Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile)
Can be released after just one year
No oak ageing is required
Because it spends less time ageing, Rosso tends to be brighter, fruitier and more approachable while still showcasing the unmistakable elegance of Montepulciano's vineyards.
It's an excellent choice for pasta with tomato sauces, pizza, charcuterie and everyday Tuscan cooking.
Vin Santo di Montepulciano DOC
Like much of Tuscany, Montepulciano also produces a wonderful Vin Santo.
Unlike the region's reds, this traditional dessert wine is made from white grapes that are dried after harvest to concentrate their sugars and aromas.
Grapes
Malvasia
Trebbiano
Grechetto (locally called Pulcinculo)
After drying, the grapes are pressed and the wine spends years ageing in small wooden barrels.
Ageing
Vin Santo: minimum 3 years
Vin Santo Riserva: minimum 5 years
These wines develop notes of dried apricot, caramel, toasted almonds, honey and orange peel.
Occhio di Pernice: The Rare Red Vin Santo
One of Tuscany's most fascinating dessert wines is Occhio di Pernice ("Eye of the Partridge").
Unlike traditional Vin Santo, this version contains at least 50% Sangiovese, giving it a beautiful amber-to-ruby colour and remarkable complexity.
It must age for at least six years, producing rich flavours of dried cherries, figs, walnuts, spices and cocoa.
It's exceptionally rare and well worth seeking out if you visit Montepulciano.
Why is Sangiovese Called Prugnolo Gentile?
Many Italian wine regions have their own historic names for Sangiovese.
In Montepulciano it's known as Prugnolo Gentile, a clone that has adapted beautifully to the area's soils and climate. The name likely refers to the plum-like aromas ("prugna" means plum in Italian) often found in the wines.
Of course, in modern viticulture, no area that grows Sangiovese, grows just the local variant. It's a mix of different clones that actual grow in the fields, ever-changing as agricultural knowledge improves as well as the clones, adapting to climate change and other variables.
Rebecca's Wine Notebook: Fun Fact 🍷
The Montepulciano grape and the wines of Montepulciano have almost nothing in common! The Montepulciano grape grows mainly in Abruzzo and other central and southern regions of Italy. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, however, comes from the Tuscan town of Montepulciano and is made primarily from Sangiovese, locally known as Prugnolo Gentile.
It's one of the first pieces of Italian wine trivia every wine lover eventually learns—and one that never stops surprising people.
Visiting Montepulciano
Beyond its wines, Montepulciano is simply a joy to explore.
Its Renaissance palaces, steep stone streets, underground ageing cellars and panoramic views make it one of Tuscany's most rewarding wine destinations.
Many wineries are built beneath the historic town itself, where enormous old oak barrels quietly age Vino Nobile in ancient brick cellars that have been in use for centuries.
For wine lovers, it's one of those places where history, architecture and wine all come together in a way that's uniquely Tuscan.
If you come to Tuscany's capital, Florence, you could join one of Grape Tours' small group tours to Montepulciano. Going with locals saves you the hassle of finding the very best places!
