Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG

The oldest document relating to Montepulciano wine dates to 789, when the cleric Arnipert gave the church of San Silvestro on Monte Amiata a plot of vineyard in the castle of Policiano. A document of 1350 set the first clauses for the trade and export of Montepulciano wine, and in the mid-1500s Sante Lancerio, cellarer to Pope Paul III Farnese, praised Montepulciano as 'vino da Signori', a wine for lords. In 1685 the physician and poet Francesco Redi celebrated it in his dithyramb Bacco in Toscana, which concludes 'Montepulciano d'ogni vino è Re!' ('Montepulciano is king of every wine'). The first known mention of 'Vino Nobile' dates to 1787, and the first shipment of Vino Nobile to America, by ship, to 1828. A cooperative cellar was founded in 1937, and the Consorzio dei produttori del Vino Nobile followed in 1965. DOC recognition came by D.P.R. of 12 July 1966 and DOCG by D.P.R. of 1 July 1980, and Vino Nobile was the first wine in Italy to carry the replacement for the state neck-strip on the bottle closure, an anti-fraud seal certifying its origin.

• 789: the oldest document relating to Montepulciano wine, a gift of vineyard land to the church of San Silvestro on Monte Amiata
• 1685: Francesco Redi's Bacco in Toscana concludes 'Montepulciano d'ogni vino è Re!'
• 1787: first known mention of 'Vino Nobile'; 1828: first shipment of Vino Nobile to America
• 1965: Consorzio founded; 1966: DOC; 1980: DOCG

Montepulciano sits between the Valdichiana and the Val d'Orcia, in a small area of south-east Tuscany. The production zone lies in the commune of Montepulciano in the province of Siena, and only well-exposed vineyards between 250 and 600 metres above sea level qualify; the Valdichiana valley floor is excluded. The substrate is largely Pliocene marine sediments, with sands predominating especially at higher altitude, while other soils on the slopes descending toward the Valdichiana formed on early Pleistocene continental sediments, and conglomerates appear in the east of the territory. Sands are characteristic of Montepulciano, and in Tuscany they are this widespread only here and at San Gimignano. The climate is Mediterranean, with a Winkler index averaging 1900° (1750° at the highest altitudes), average rainfall of 690 mm across most of the territory and about 740 mm in the south, peak rainfall in October and November, and a tendentially dry summer. In September and early October, the wide day-night temperature range, particularly at higher elevations, favours aromatic and phenolic complexity in the grapes. The disciplinare lists 12 Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive, whose names may appear on the label only when preceded by the word 'Pieve'.

• Production zone: commune of Montepulciano, province of Siena, vineyards at 250 to 600 metres; Valdichiana valley floor excluded
• Soils: Pliocene marine sands and clays, with early Pleistocene continental sediments toward the Valdichiana and conglomerates in the east
• Climate: Mediterranean, with average rainfall of 690 mm in most of the zone, about 740 mm in the south, and July rainfall averaging under 30 mm
• 12 UGAs for the Pieve mention: Sant'Ilario, Ascianello, Badia, Caggiole, Cervognano, Cerliana, Gracciano, Le Grazie, San Biagio, Sant'Albino, Valardegna and Valiano

Sangiovese, in particular the local biotype called Prugnolo gentile, is the base of Vino Nobile and must make up at least 70% of every bottling. Up to 30% may come from complementary varieties suitable for cultivation in Tuscany, provided white-berried grapes do not exceed 5%, and aromatic varieties are excluded except Malvasia Bianca Lunga. Canaiolo nero and Mammolo are among the native complementary varieties identified over time. The soils of the zone give Sangiovese characteristic notes of sour cherry, violet and spice, and the wines are very structured, balanced and elegant, with evident tannin that gives good longevity; with age their ruby colour moves toward garnet. There are two red types, base and Riserva, which differ in structure, alcohol and length of maturation. The Pieve mention raises the Sangiovese minimum to 85%, with up to 15% from Canaiolo nero, Ciliegiolo nero, Mammolo nero and Colorino nero (Colorino at most 5%). Rosso di Montepulciano DOC, approved by D.P.R. of 21 December 1988, uses the same zone and the same 70% Sangiovese minimum and may be released from 1 March after the harvest.

• Sangiovese (Prugnolo gentile): minimum 70%; complementary Tuscan varieties up to 30%, white grapes no more than 5%
• Aromatic varieties excluded except Malvasia Bianca Lunga
• Official profile: ruby tending to garnet with age, intense ethereal nose with sour cherry, violet and spice; dry, balanced and persistent
• Rosso di Montepulciano DOC: same zone and 70% Sangiovese minimum, up to 10 t/ha, release from 1 March after the harvest

In 2026 the consorzio had about 270 members, 78 of them bottlers, representing almost all of the vineyards. Poliziano began in 1961 when Dino Carletti bought a first 22 hectares; his son Federico Carletti took over management at the end of the 1970s, and the estate now has 170 hectares of vineyard, with wines certified organic since 2021. Its 12-hectare Asinone vineyard, at 380 to 400 metres, is bottled as a cru alongside Caggiole. At Poderi Boscarelli, Egidio Corradi bought two small semi-abandoned farms at Cervognano di Montepulciano in 1962; his daughter Paola and her husband Ippolito De Ferrari developed the winery from the 1960s, and the third generation, Luca and Nicolò De Ferrari, carries it on. Boscarelli's Il Nocio was first made in 1991, and the estate has 30 hectares of vineyard. Contucci's cellars date to the 13th century and formed part of Montepulciano's inner walls; the family's private reserve still holds a bottle of Vino Nobile from 1887. Avignonesi was founded in 1974 by Ettore Falvo, and in 1987 planted a circular vineyard to test planting densities from 8,000 down to 2,500 vines per hectare. Yields are capped at 8 t/ha (7 t/ha and 2.5 kg per vine for Pieve), new plantings need at least 3,330 vines per hectare, winemaking and compulsory ageing must take place in the commune of Montepulciano, and bottling has been required within the zone since 26 July 1999, with a Tuscany-wide exemption for established bottlers of the wine without the Riserva or Pieve mention.

• Poliziano: founded 1961 by Dino Carletti; 170 ha of vineyard; crus Asinone and Caggiole; certified organic wines since 2021
• Boscarelli: Cervognano farms bought by Egidio Corradi in 1962; first Il Nocio vintage 1991; 30 ha of vineyard
• Rules: minimum 70% Sangiovese, maximum 8 t/ha, 12.50% vol total alcohol at release (13.00% Riserva), two years' maturation including at least 12 months in wood
• Pieve: 12 UGAs, minimum 85% Sangiovese, vines at least 15 years old, 13.00% vol total alcohol at release, grapes only from vineyards run by the bottling estate

The consorzio calls Montepulciano the pearl of the Tuscan Renaissance; the town was the home of the humanist poet Agnolo Poliziano. Its historic centre climbs to Piazza Grande, with the Palazzo Comunale and its tower, the Pozzo dei Grifi e dei Leoni and the cathedral with its unfinished facade. Other sights include the Fortezza, the underground cellars of the historic centre, the Teatro Poliziano and the Tempio di San Biagio. The consorzio's headquarters and its Enoliteca occupy the restored Fortezza, officially opened in 2016 to mark the DOC's 50th anniversary. Cellars beneath the town's noble palazzi are still partly used for ageing wine. Contucci opened a wine bar inside Palazzo Contucci at Piazza Grande 13 in July 2021, and in 2026 the consorzio's online producer directory held 86 listings.

• Piazza Grande: Palazzo Comunale and its tower, Pozzo dei Grifi e dei Leoni and the cathedral
• Fortezza: consorzio headquarters and Enoliteca, officially opened in 2016
• Underground cellars beneath the palazzi, partly still used for ageing wine
• Other landmarks: Tempio di San Biagio and Teatro Poliziano

Primary sources (MASAF disciplinari, the Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and producers' own sites): https://www.masaf.gov.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeAttachment.php/L/IT/D/1%252F2%252F3%252FD.8ccd09a077f2ec35dc9b/P/BLOB%3AID%3D4625/E/7z?mode=download, https://www.consorziovinonobile.it/disciplinaries/, https://www.consorziovinonobile.it/vino-nobile-di-montepulciano/, https://www.consorziovinonobile.it/history-activities/, https://www.consorziovinonobile.it/zonazione-en/, https://www.consorziovinonobile.it/montepulciano-tuscany/, https://www.consorziovinonobile.it/producers/, https://carlettipoliziano.com/azienda/, https://carlettipoliziano.com/nobile-di-montepulciano/, https://carlettipoliziano.com/asinone-nobile-di-montepulciano/, https://www.contucci.it/prodotto/vino-nobile-di-montepulciano-docg/, https://www.contucci.it/storia/, https://www.poderiboscarelli.com/it/index.html, https://www.poderiboscarelli.com/it/content.php?page=3, https://www.poderiboscarelli.com/it/content.php?page=172. Secondary sources: https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/regional-power-extended-geographical-mentions-on-labels-552437/, https://www.decanter.com/learn/what-is-an-uga-553601/, https://www.decanter.com/features/the-two-montys-montalcino-and-montepulciano-249088/. Last verified 2026-10-05