Montepulciano sets new accents

In 1994, the members of the winegrowers' association Vino Nobile di Montepulciano decided for the first time to present the new vintages of their wines to experts at a pre-tasting. In 2024, the event celebrated its 30th birthday - with a novelty: although stars were once again awarded for the vintage, it was not the last harvest that was judged, but the youngest vintage on the market.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano looks back on a long history. The area around Montepulciano has been known for its viticulture since Etruscan times. The term Vino Nobile first appeared in 1766. Just as rich in tradition are some companies that have dedicated themselves to the production of the noble red wine for many decades or even centuries. Others were created later, started with just a few employees and grew over time. What they all have in common is the desire to make their contribution to the success of the protected designation of origin - among other things by participating in Anteprima.

While the Consorzio Vino Nobile di Montepulciano had 44 members at the first edition of the event in 1994, it now has 81. Production has also experienced a remarkable upswing over the past three decades. In 1994, 3.4 million bottles of Vino Nobile and 154,400 bottles of Rosso di Montepulciano were produced. The figures have now risen to 6.9 million (Nobile) and 2.6 million (Rosso).

And the market trend is pointing steeply upwards. In 2023, the value of Vino Nobile increased again. 34 percent of total production was sold in Italy. The export share of 66% of production is distributed relatively evenly between Europe (primarily Germany) and non-EU countries (particularly the USA).

4.5 stars for the 2021 vintage

One of the highlights of the press day at the 30th Anteprima was once again the awarding of the stars. This time, however, not for the last harvest, but for the first time for the latest vintage on the market - that of 2021. And lo and behold, it seems to have convinced the consortium across the board: 4.5 out of 5 stars speak for themselves. 2021 was a somewhat cooler vintage with well-distributed rainfall. Andrea Lonardi MW's comments comparing the 2021 and 2023 vintages were interesting in this context. According to measurements, there was almost the same amount of precipitation in both years. However, while the rain was evenly distributed throughout the year in 2021, it came suddenly and unexpectedly in large quantities in 2023. A phenomenon that - not only in Montepulciano - has a negative impact on the quality of the harvest.

Revolution Pieve - Everything is waiting for the year 2025

Major innovations are expected in Montepulciano 2025. Once the corresponding regulations have been approved by the National Wine Committee, the first Vino Nobile di Montepulciano "Pieve" (2021 vintage) will be launched on January 1, 2025. Above all, this pays tribute to the area, which was divided into a total of twelve site designations following detailed geological investigations. In addition to Sangiovese, only grapes of authorized autochthonous varieties that come from the farm itself may be used for Pieve wines. In future, wines with the addition "Pieve" will account for around 10 percent of the total production of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

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