How to pour
a Montepulciano in
Put the bottle in the refrigerator for half an hour. A room at twenty degrees is too warm for this wine: at 16 to 18 degrees, the fruit stays fresh and the alcohol doesn’t come forward. Take the bottle out as soon as it feels cool, because the temperature will naturally rise another degree or two in the glass.
Cut around the capsule just below the raised ridge of the neck and wipe the rim clean. Twist the spiral into the center of the cork, stopping just before it comes through the bottom, then pull gently and straight up. If it has a screw cap, simply unscrew it; that says nothing about what’s in the bottle.
Montepulciano has soft tannins and usually doesn’t need to be decanted. If a young bottle still smells a little closed when opened, pour it into a decanter and let it sit for twenty minutes; the fruit will come forward. Stand an older bottle upright and pour it gently, so the sediment stays at the bottom.
Pour until the glass is about one-third full. This leaves room to swirl the wine, which you need with this style to release the plum and cherry fruit. A glass that’s only one-third full also stays at the right temperature longer than a glass filled to the rim.
What did you think of this explanation?
One click on a star is enough. If you’d like to add something, we’ll read it first before it appears here.
Save this page
Send this page to your own email, so you’ll have the explanation at hand when you’re ready to pour. You’ll also receive a €5 discount code on orders from €50, for the glasses that go with it.
The story
The confusion lies in the name. Montepulciano is a dark-skinned grape grown mainly in Abruzzo, the mountainous region on the eastern side of central Italy, and its best-known wine is called Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. Montepulciano is also a small town in Tuscany, and the wine from there is called Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. It is made from sangiovese, the same grape as in chianti and brunello, and has nothing to do with the montepulciano grape. Two names that sound almost identical, two different wines. If the label says d'Abruzzo, you have the grape; if it says Vino Nobile, you have the town.
The right glass
Montepulciano needs room, but not a giant glass. A bowl of around 45 cl gives the wine enough air to release its plum and cherry fruit without letting the aroma disappear in an oversized bowl. A rim that narrows slightly keeps that aroma together. The description of choice 01 explicitly mentions montepulciano and merlot; choice 02 is a broader all-rounder for red wine, and the product photo shows rosé in the glass instead of red wine, immediately showing the color of Cerasuolo from the same grape. More sizes and shapes can be found among the red wine glasses.
Luigi Bormioli Vinea Wine Glass 45 cl Montepulciano-Merlot (6 pieces)
Schott Zwiesel MioVino Red Wine Glass 50 cl with Moussier Point (4 pieces)
Both sets together € 70,90.
The right tools
For a bottle of montepulciano, besides the glass, you mainly need a corkscrew, and for a young bottle, a decanter to give it some air. If the bottle doesn't go empty in one sitting, a wine stopper helps. The bar tools below only come into play when the bottle goes into sangria or mulled wine: a bar spoon for stirring and a jigger for measuring. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you'll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Stirs a pitcher of sangria or mulled wine without creating foam
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 70,85.
What do you pour alongside it?
Montepulciano is one style within a much broader range. These are the varieties and regions that come before, alongside or after it at the table, from a glass of prosecco beforehand to a moscato with dessert. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails pair well with it and what kind of glass you need.
Variations & twists
The same grape is also used for Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo, a rosé the color of ripe cherries, which you serve at 8 to 10 degrees rather than at 16. Within the red style, there is also a designation for the hills around Teramo, Colline Teramane, which is on the fuller side. And if there is a little left at the bottom, montepulciano works perfectly in a sangria or tinto de verano, as the ripe fruit can stand up well to orange and ice. Want to read more? Explore all drinks and brands.
Servingtip
Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and do not leave the bottle in the sun or next to the stove, as this wine quickly becomes heavy and alcoholic when warm. It pairs well with anything involving tomatoes, herbs and fire: pasta with ragù, pizza with salami, grilled lamb chops or a piece of pecorino. If half a bottle remains, seal it and keep it cool; the next day, simply pour it again.
Good to know
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Two names, two different wines. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is made from the montepulciano grape and comes from Abruzzo, on the eastern side of central Italy. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano comes from the Tuscan town of Montepulciano and is made from sangiovese. So the grape is not found in the wine from the town, and the town has nothing to do with the wine made from the grape. The only thing they share is the name.
How it tastes
Deep in color, purple-red right to the rim, with ripe plum and dark cherry on the nose. On the palate, it is above all soft: the tannins are there, but rounded rather than astringent, and you often taste a spicy note as well, something like bay leaf or licorice. That makes it approachable, even for those who usually find red wine too full-bodied. There are more robust and longer-aged versions, but the basic style is round and fruity.
Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo, the rosé made from the same grape
Cerasuolo comes from cerasa, the Italian word for cherry, referring to its color. The grapes spend only a short time on the skins, making the wine a deeper pink than most rosé wines and giving it more fruit as well. Serve it at 8 to 10 degrees. A narrower glass is more comfortable than the generous bowl you use for the red version.
At what temperature and in which glass
Sixteen to eighteen degrees for the red version, so slightly cooler than a normal room. Half an hour in the refrigerator is usually enough. Use a bowl-shaped glass of around 45 cl and pour to one-third full, so you can swirl the wine without spilling. For Cerasuolo, serve at 8 to 10 degrees in a smaller glass.
How much alcohol it contains
Montepulciano usually falls roughly between 12 and 14 percent, depending on the region, the vintage and the producer's style. The fuller versions from the hills are at the upper end of that range, while the lighter ones and Cerasuolo are below it. The percentage is always stated on the label.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano?
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is made from the red grape montepulciano and comes from Abruzzo. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano comes from the Tuscan town of Montepulciano and is made from sangiovese. The names look alike, but one refers to a grape and the other to a place, and they are two different wines.
What does montepulciano taste like?
Deep in color, with ripe plum and dark cherry, a spicy note and above all soft, round tannins. This makes it easy to drink, even without food. Fuller versions are firmer and aged a little longer, but this grape is rarely harsh.
At what temperature should you serve montepulciano, and in which glass?
At 16 to 18 degrees, so chill it for half an hour if the bottle is at room temperature. Use a red wine glass of around 45 cl and pour to about one-third full, leaving room to swirl the wine.
What is Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo?
The rosé made from the same grape. The skins are left in briefly, which makes the wine cherry-red instead of pale pink and gives it more fruit than most rosé wines. Serve it at 8 to 10 degrees, in a narrower glass than you use for the red version.
Also delicious
Everything for your bar,
to one address
Glasses in hospitality quality, delivered per set. Order today, delivered quickly.
Shop the glasses →