Best Montepulciano Dabruzzo Wines

Introduction to Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC is Abruzzo's great-value red. This guide covers its zones, its rosé, the best bottles, aging and food pairings.

It is one of Italy's best-loved and most underrated reds. It offers quality, depth and aging potential at prices that stay low. It is made from the Montepulciano grape. This has nothing to do with the Tuscan town of Montepulciano, which makes Vino Nobile from Sangiovese. It is Abruzzo's signature red and one of Italy's great value wines.

The Montepulciano grape gives deep ruby-purple wines with rich dark fruit, soft tannins and good acidity. The wine is warm and generous. It is easy to enjoy young but can also improve in the cellar. The DOC covers a broad part of Abruzzo, from the Adriatic coast to the foothills of the Apennines. So you will find many styles and quality levels.

Key Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Denominations

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC — The Foundation

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC is the main name and covers the whole Abruzzo region. At its best, the wine shows dark cherry, plum, dried herbs, leather and a rustic warmth. Quality ranges widely. Some bottles are simple and fruity for every day. Others are rich, serious wines from producers with old vines and low yields.

Colline Teramane DOCG — The Premier Cru

Colline Teramane DOCG covers the hills inland of Teramo. It is the finest zone for Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. Yields are lower, aging is longer, and the soils suit the grape better. The wines are richer, more complex and age longer. They prove that Montepulciano d'Abruzzo can be truly great.

Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo DOC — The Remarkable Rosé

Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo is a deep cherry-red rosé made from Montepulciano grapes. It is one of Italy's most serious and structured rosés. "Cerasuolo" means cherry-colored. The color comes from brief skin contact during fermentation. The wine is full-bodied and dry and can age 3–7 years. No other Italian rosé is quite like it.

Best Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Wines to Try

• Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 'Marina Cvetic' Masciarelli: from the most important winery in modern Abruzzo. Its Marina Cvetic and San Martino Rosso wines set the standard.
• Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 'Toni' Valle Reale: old-vine Montepulciano from the high Popoli zone, with great depth and elegance
• Colline Teramane DOCG, Illuminati: a flagship from Teramo's most respected producer. Classic Colline Teramane power and complexity.
• Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo, Torre dei Beati (Adriana Galasso): one of Italy's most praised rosés, made from Montepulciano, with real depth and aging potential

The Montepulciano Grape

Montepulciano is one of Italy's most widely grown red grapes. It is found from Abruzzo across central Italy. The grape gives:
- Very deep ruby-purple color
- Aromas of dark cherry, plum, black olive, dried herbs, leather and tobacco
- Soft to medium tannins (lower than Sangiovese or Nebbiolo)
- Good natural acidity
- Full body and a generous, warming feel
- Range: both powerful cellar wines and easy wines to drink young

Important note: Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is not the same as Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG. Vino Nobile is made in the Tuscan town of Montepulciano from Sangiovese. The grape, region and style are all different.

Abruzzo: A Region of Wild Contrasts

Abruzzo is a region of extremes. On one side is the Adriatic coast. On the other are the highest peaks of the Apennines, including the Gran Sasso. This gives many different climates and soils, and very different styles of Montepulciano:

• Coast and lower hills: warmer, giving fuller, rounder wines that are easy to enjoy young
• Higher zones (Popoli, Ofena, Colline Teramane): cooler, giving wines with more acidity, firmer structure and longer aging potential

Food Pairing with Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Its warmth, soft tannins and generous fruit make it easy to pair:

• Classic Abruzzo pairings: arrosticini (lamb skewers), pasta alla chitarra with lamb ragù, roast lamb with rosemary
• Red meat: grilled steak, braised beef, pork ribs. Its soft tannins make it gentler than more tannic wines.
• Everyday food: pizza, pasta with tomato sauce, grilled sausages. It is one of Italy's great "pizza and pasta" reds.
• Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo: roast lamb, arrosticini, grilled fish, semi-aged cheeses

Buying Guide: Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Wines

Price Ranges

• Entry level (€7–13): basic Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC, great everyday value
• Mid range (€13–25): single-vineyard DOC and good Colline Teramane DOCG wines
• Premium (€25–60+): top Colline Teramane DOCG and old-vine single-vineyard wines

Aging Potential

It is known as a simple everyday wine, but top Montepulciano d'Abruzzo gets much better with age:
- Basic DOC: drink within 3–5 years
- Good single-vineyard DOC: 5–10 years
- Colline Teramane DOCG Riserva: 10–20 years

Explore More

• Best Italian Red Wines
• Best Italian Rosé Wines
• Italian Wine and Food Pairing Guide
• Best Italian Wines for Beginners
• Best Sangiovese Wines

Explore the wines of Abruzzo and nearby Marche, Italy's most underrated Adriatic wine regions.