Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG Tuscany's Original Sangiovese DOCG

Sangiovese, known in Montepulciano as Prugnolo Gentile, at a minimum of 70%. Complementary Tuscan varieties may make up the rest, with aromatic grapes excluded apart from Malvasia Bianca Lunga. Despite the name, there is no Montepulciano grape in the blend: that variety belongs to Abruzzo.

No. Vino Nobile is a Sangiovese DOCG from the town of Montepulciano in Tuscany; Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is a different grape grown in Abruzzo, east across the Apennines. They share a word, not a wine. Our guide to the two Montepulcianos walks through the label test, the taste and the prices.

Pieve is the denomination's top tier, permitted since the 2021 harvest. The word is followed by one of twelve named parishes, and the wine must come from vines at least 15 years old, yield no more than 7 tonnes per hectare, use at least 85% Sangiovese and age three years before release.

A straight Vino Nobile usually drinks best between three and ten years from the vintage; Riserva and Pieve bottlings are built for a decade or more. The consorzio's own vintage stars, shown in the chart on this page, are a reliable guide to which years reward the wait.

Both are Sangiovese DOCGs from southern Tuscany, recognised together in Italy's first DOCG wave of 1980. Brunello must be 100% Sangiovese and ages far longer before release; Vino Nobile allows 30% complementary varieties, reaches the market after two years, and typically costs noticeably less. In weight it sits between Chianti Classico and Brunello.

Proper Tuscan cooking: roast lamb, pappardelle with wild boar ragu, bistecca alla fiorentina and aged pecorino. The acidity and grip of Sangiovese ask for protein and fat; keep it away from delicate fish and chilli heat.