Montepulciano (grape)

Montepulciano
Grape (Vitis)
Montepulciano growing in Abruzzi
Color of berry skin	Purple
Species	Vitis vinifera
Origin	Italy
Notable regions	Abruzzo
VIVC number	7949

Montepulciano (UK: /ˌmɒnteɪpʊlˈtʃɑːnoʊ, -tɪp-/ MON-tay-puul-CHAH-noh, -⁠tih-,^[1] Italian: [ˌmontepulˈtʃaːno]) is a red Italian wine grape variety that is most noted for being the primary grape behind the DOCG wines Colline Teramane Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Offida Rosso; and the DOC wines Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Rosso Conero, and Rosso Piceno Superiore.

It should not be confused with the similarly named Tuscan wine Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which is made from predominantly Sangiovese and is named for the town it is produced in, rather than for containing any Montepulciano grapes in the blend.

The grape is widely planted throughout central and southern Italy, most notably in Abruzzo, Lazio, Marche, Molise, Umbria and Apulia, and is a permitted variety in DOC wines produced in 20 of Italy's 95 provinces. Montepulciano is rarely found in northern Italy because the grape has a tendency to ripen late and can be excessively "green" if harvested too early.

When fully ripened, Montepulciano can produce deeply colored wines, with moderate acidity and noticeable extract and alcohol levels.^[2]