Il Vino Nobile
Cosimo III de'Medici didn't mention Montepulciano in the edict with which he recognized the quality of the wines produced in the Chianti Classico, Carmignano, Pomino and Valdarno Superiore regions (the world's first Appellation) – he may have been interested in just the areas around Florence, but it was a serious omission just the same. The earliest surviving written references to Montepulciano's wines mention the establishment of a wholesaler in the town, on October 17 1350. If nothing else, this indicates that there was a market for the wine. In 1549, however, Sante Lancerio, cellarmaster of Pope Paul III Farnese, termed Montepulciano's wines "most perfect, fit for gentlemen." Two centuries later, Francesco Redi, a celebrated Tuscan doctor and natural philosopher, wrote, "Montepulciano of all wines is king."
Despite this praise from centuries past, Vino Nobile
has in more recent times suffered from an image problem. Unlike Brunello di
Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is made from a blend of grapes, as is
the Chianti Colli Sensei also made in the region, and it can therefore be
difficult to say precisely what distinguishes the one from the other. Indeed,
Burton Anderson, writing a few years ago, said they had much in
common.
That may be less true now than it was then. The wave of viticultural innovation that has swept through Tuscany in the past two decades has struck Montepulciano too, with very positive results. Put simply, less wine is being made with greater care, and this allows the unique characteristics of the local terroir to shine.
Getting down to
specifics, the DOCG states that Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is to be made from
60-80% Prugnolo Gentile (a local name for Sangioveto Grosso, the same variety
of Sangiovese that produces Brunello), 10-20% Canaiolo Nero, and up to 20%
lesser grapes whose use is authorized in the Province of Siena; it cannot
include more than 10% white grapes, and the only aromatic grape allowed is
Malvasia del Chianti. The wines are to be stored in botti (large oak barrels)
according to traditional custom for a minimum of two years, or three for
riserve.
The minimum alcohol content of
the wine is 12.5%.
The rules laid down lead to a couple of observations:
- The requirement that the wine not contain more than 10% white grapes is likely a holdover from the past; now few if any producers will be using them. The grape that they probably are using is Mammolo, a local variety that adds a tantalizing smoothness to the wine and floral overtones to the bouquet. Everyone I talked to in Montepulciano mentioned it. Nobody mentioned using Cabernet or Merlot, or any of the other foreign grapes that are being used elsewhere in Tuscany to appeal to international tastes.
- Barriques are against the rules. This means that the wines of Montepulciano should not have the strong toasted vanilla overtones of the kind one encounters in the bouquets of some Chiantis, which are due to the interaction of small volumes of wine with large areas of wood. With botti, the volume of wine is large and the surface area of wood is comparatively smaller; this means that the wood influences the wine less. As a result the wine should taste fruitier.
I haven't tasted many
Vini Nobili (there are about 50 producers in all), but what I have tried I have
liked. Dei's 1993 Vino Nobile is a deep ruby red with violet highlights. The
bouquet has violets and cherries with just a touch of forest.
On the palate the wine is very
well rounded, with strong fruit supported by satiny tannins, and has a
pleasant, long lasting finish. This is an extremely lush wine, what one might
expect were one to find Marilyn Monroe in a glass. Polizano Nobile 1993 again
has violets and cherries in the bouquet, though there is also a note of alcohol
that is not unpleasant. On the palate it has less fruit than Dei, but is more
structured, with the tannins slightly more evident. Its texture is velvety
texture, and the finish is pleasantly vinous. Romeo's Nobile di Montepulciano
has more concentrated fruit aromas in the bouquet, with a heady fragrance of
violets mixed in, and somewhat more pronounced tannins than the other two.
Again, the wine is well rounded and velvety, and goes quite well with red
meats, game (especially the four footed variety), and aged cheeses.
If you're traveling
from Rome to Florence and have the time, Montepulciano makes an ideal stop -- the countryside is
beautiful. Exit the A1 highway at Val Di Chiana and follow the signs; it's
about 15 km. You will arrive under one of the gates; at the Agip station make a
hard right to the one parking lot I know of that's free. If it's full, park a
little further down the hill, and walk up. You enter the town through a simple
gate, and find yourself on the main street. Amble up the hill, and duck into
the wine shop run by the Fattoria di Pulcino (# 80). Their cellars fill a
rabbit's warren of tunnels under the street, and they have an odd collection of
medieval weapons and torture implements in dusty glass cases. As you climb the
stairs at the end of the tour (self-paced and free), you will see the door of
an Etruscan tomb dug into the earth. Continue slowly up the hill, admiring
palaces and façades as you go, and follow the signs for the Duomo. You
will, after about a half-mile, come to a parapet with a magnificent view. The
road then circles up into the town again; at the beginning of Via San Donato
(the top of the hill) there is Ambrogio Zamparro's studio.
He has done mosaics all over the
world, and is now working on a Last Judgment for a church in Puglia. Via San
Donato leads into Piazza Grande, which has the town hall to the left and the
Duomo to the right. The latter looks rather plain, but has a spectacular
triptych by Taddeo di Bartolo behind the main altar. Start back down the hill
on the street that exits the square next to the town hall; duck into the
Biblioteca Comunale's courtyard to admire the view. The square church with the
dome down in the valley is the Tempio di San Biagio, a masterpiece built by
Antonio d Sangallo in 1518. Continue exploring the town, or, if you want a fine
lunch, drive around to the Tempio di San Biagio, to eat at
Ristorante la Grotta.
Good Food &
Drink,
Kyle Phillips
