Tomorrow I will be at the Slow Wine Event in New York at Eataly serving wines from Abruzzo made with Montepulciano. Come say hello if you are at the event! Even though Montepulciano is Italy’s second most widely planted grape variety after Tuscany’s Sangiovese, it is still not as revered as it could and, in my view, should be. Many tend to see this welcoming variety as an easy, quaffable beverage. Some even use that term I despise, “Porch-pounder.” No women I know use that term but plenty of men still do unfortunately and particularly I have heard it from some about Montepulciano d’Abruzzo wines. I beg to differ.

Montepulciano can be easily accessible, like Merlot or Malbec, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have refined aromas of deep cherry, at times plum, depending on how its aged, spices such as black pepper and clove, herbal notes of oregano and rosemary, tertiary aromas of leather and cigar box. Its tannins are enveloping and silky but its doesn’t lack for acidity or alcohol. It’s got all of that.

A lot of the Montepulciano we used to see in the US was sold for lower prices than some other Italian reds and the quality was perhaps lacking a bit. Today though, there is a lot of great Montepulciano coming out of Abruzzo. Bold, elegant, and nuanced wines that are versatile in terms of their ability to pair with foods from Pizza and Pastas to bigger more structured dishes of meat, fowl, or mushroom.

This red grape, that deserves so much more love, grows throughout central Italy and is widely found in Le Marche and Abruzzo. It’s still confusing to many who think that Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is made with this grape. It’s also sometimes erroneous thought to be the same grape as Sangiovese but it’s not. It can be blended with Sangiovese and produce beautiful wines such as those made by Velenosi Vini who I have worked with off and on for many years.

Montepulciano can be a vigorous variety if not grown in a meticulous way. It is widely used for its ability to age and for the full bodied, medium tannin wines it produces. Other incredible wineries I have written about using this grape include the famed Emidio Pepe whose wines I wrote about here.

I always find that people undervalue wines made from Montepulciano. I think they are wonderful, especially from certain areas like the Colline Teramane. Montepulciano figures in the DOCs Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Lacrima di Morro d’Alba, Rosso Conero, Rosso Piceno, Conero, I terreni di S. Severino, among others.

Moreover, Montepulciano can be a great wine to introduce newcomers to Italian wines. Less bitter and acidic than Sangiovese, with softer, inviting tannins that create texture and depth on your palate but don’t overwhelm. The next time you see it on a wine list, give it a try. Like me you will become a convert.