Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: An Unstoppable Force

BY ERIC GUIDO | FEBRUARY 04, 2025

Montepulciano has everything going for it. Just across the Val d’Orcia from Montalcino, 45 minutes by car, the town of Montepulciano is one of my favorite destinations. If I weren’t a wine critic, I’d certainly love to be a tourist in this town with its restaurants, dining and many hotels. The vineyards spread out primarily to the north and east of the city, with wineries within an easy five- to ten-minute drive from its fortified walls. Although geographically close to the Tyrrhenian Sea, Montepulciano's climate is more strongly influenced by the Apennines and cooling currents from the north. Though Vino Nobile di Montepulciano was one of Italy’s very first DOCG wines, today’s wineries still strive to live up to the hype following years of being considered the underdog. They are doing just that. Recent vintages have helped more than hurt, with 2021 and 2022 delivering very different yet balanced interpretations of a warm and dry Tuscan growing season. What’s more, this year's release of the new Pieve wines has everyone, me included, very excited. If it wasn’t for the nearly non-existent 2023 vintage, producers in Montepulciano would be sitting pretty.

The Pieve Cervognano as seen from Le Bèrne Winery.

The State of Montepulciano

The growing number of wines I cover in each report on Montepulciano clearly demonstrates the drastic improvements the region’s winemakers are achieving. This is the result of wineries that have existed throughout the decades catching on to the changes in consumers' taste, the importance of putting the proper amount of work into their vineyards, and the cleanliness of their practices in the cellar. The cumulative effect is that there has never been more high-quality wine coming out of the town of Montepulciano than there is today. That’s not to say that there isn’t more work to do. I’m still surprised by some of the poor conditions I see (rotting old barrels, built-up debris and dirty equipment) at several estates. But I believe it’s only so long before the stragglers catch up. 

Moreover, a focus on purity and lift has elevated these wines. There was a time when I regarded Vino Nobile di Montepulciano as a rounder, more fruit-forward, less complex interpretation of Sangiovese. Much of this had to do with the blending rules, allowing up to 30% of international varieties into the mix, often in the form of a dose of Merlot. Today, winemakers depend on the indigenous varieties of Tuscany (such as Canaiolo, Colorino and Mammolo) to round out the wines, and these often make up no more than 10-15% of the blends. This, coupled with a lighter hand in the cellar (less extraction, less new oak and the use of larger barrels), has changed the game, yielding modern wines that can compete internationally with the best that Tuscany has to offer. 

That said, there are still challenges. Messaging remains an issue. Montepulciano struggles due to its name. While the town of Montepulciano is one of the most historic, beautiful and tourist-friendly in all of Italy, it also bears the same name as one of Italy’s most popular wines, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. The region has worked to separate itself from this confusion, often by manipulating the name of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, so we find wines in the market labeled Nobile di Montepulciano, Vino Nobile, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, or simply Nobile. The mass confusion this causes among consumers is evident. The addition of “Toscana” to the label of all Vino Nobile as of 2019 is a step in the right direction. That designation will help consumers grasp the wines’ origins but doesn’t solve the problem entirely. The sheer amount of verbiage on a label from Montepulciano has become an issue, especially now with the addition of the Pieve classification. The good news is that the Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is fully aware of this issue and is constantly at work to devise a solution. I hope to see the Consorzio decide on a shortened version of the name and ensure that it is uniform across the entire region.

The ruins of Pieve Cerliana.

A Deep Dive into the New Pieve Classification

For the last two years, I’ve been discussing the upcoming Pieve classification in Montepulciano with winemakers and officials within the producers’ Consorzio, fielding both positive and negative opinions on how this set of 12 regional subzones will affect wineries and consumers. To be clear, I’m a big fan of the delimitation of regions to help better explain and showcase their unique terroirs. My soapbox has worn thin from the number of times that I've stood upon it, preaching about the need for subzones in one of Montepulciano’s closest neighbors. However, any subzones need to clearly communicate the distinct terroir of each area. For example, with Barolo, wines from Serralunga are vastly different from those of La Morra or Verduno. 

The borders of the Pieve-classified area were derived from land records dating back to 1765 that documented 12 different parishes (church districts) within Montepulciano. While these subzones have historical importance, they lack definitions of unique terroir. This is unlike a region such as Burgundy, where Benedictine and Cistercian monks outlined distinct vineyards that showed individual attributes. Within each Pieve in Montepulciano, terroir can change drastically. I’ve witnessed vast differences from one plot to another, sometimes only a stone's throw or a single row of vines away from one another.

That said, this new classification is not without its benefits. The 12 Pieve, while not exhibiting drastic soil variations, demonstrate distinct attributes. This classification raises the bar in Montepulciano by adding a set of rules that producers must follow in order to include the designation on their label, such as increasing the mandatory amount of Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile) to 90%, with the remaining blend required to comprise the traditional Tuscan varieties (Canaiolo Nero, Ciliegiolo, Mammolo and no more than 5% Colorino). The wines must be 100% estate-grown within the designated Pieve and come from vines that are at least 15 years old, then undergo 36 months of aging before release—the same as the Riserva category. Pieve is considered to be a step above Riserva, and my tastings have shown that this classification delivers on that promise.

Diversity of soils is evident within the vineyards of Le Bèrne.

This year, we will see the official release of the 2021s, the first Pieve vintage. Initially, the 2020 vintage was intended to be the first Pieve to enter the market, but the regulations were not approved in time. This is a fortunate turn of events for Montepulciano, as the 2021 vintage is far superior to 2020, meaning that the wines will make a bigger splash with consumers. There is still the question of price, as many winemakers wrestle with how to slot their wines in the market. However, at this time, the majority of what I’ve seen places the average Pieve in the $50-$90 range. I see no problem with this, as it makes sense within the hierarchy of Rosso, Vino Nobile and Riserva. The Pieve wines are built for the cellar, and winemakers should consider them as their top selections.  

With the release of the 2021s, it's high time that I provide a deep dive into the quantifiable differences between each Pieve. After touring Montepulciano with producers over the last four years, hiking the region on foot multiple times and studying the maps provided by the Consorzio, I’ve developed several generalizations regarding Montepulciano’s terroir and how it applies to the new Pieve classification. First and foremost, sandy clay and silty calcareous soils are fairly consistent throughout much of the region. Therefore, factors like elevation, proximity to valley floor, and the influence of streams or alluvial fans are crucial in distinguishing each terroir. In an attempt to better recognize each Pieve's character, I’ve broken them down by orientation to the town of Montepulciano while listing some of their key qualities. I believe it is essential to consider each Pieve’s location within the region to understand what to expect from the finished wines. Where applicable, I’ve also included the names of notable producers whose Pieve I tasted for this report.

The official 3D map of Pieve within Montepulciano.

The Pieve : North of Montepulciano

The Valiano subregion is the furthest removed from Montepulciano of all the Pieve. It lies in the extreme northeast of the region, cut off by a large swath of relatively flat agricultural land at a lower elevation that is not fit for the production of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The area shifts drastically moving into the area’s hills, with sedimentary sandy clay, silt and a slight calcareous element. Valiano’s elevations are some of the lowest in the Montepulciano, between 255 and 340 meters. (Notable producer: Tenuta Trerose)

Moving southwest and closer to the town of Montalcino, we find Badia. This is another lower-elevation site, reaching just 290 meters, with silty clay soils in the hills that turn into pebbles and sand closer to the valley floor.

Ascianello, located at the base of Monte Follonica, can be considered a southern extension of Badia. In Ascianello, silty clay sediments overlay fine-grained sands. Soils become deeper near the valley floor, influenced by the Salarco stream’s alluvial terraces. La Ciarliana’s Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Vigna 'Scianello' exemplifies this subregion, essentially functioning as a Pieve in all but name.

The three subregions of Caggiole, Cerliana and Gracciano represent the hotbed of activity within Montepulciano's Pieve, but that does not automatically translate to higher-quality wines. The soils are quite diverse from location to location. All three subregions are all connected, just south of Badia and Ascianello and north-northeast of Montepulciano. Gracciano tapers off in elevation into the lowlands that separate Valiano from the rest of the region. Its soils are similar—sandy and loamy with sedimentary pebbles. All three areas consist of hills, valley floors and thick outcroppings of forest. Higher elevations up to 450 meters, and calcareous, sandy soils with lenticular cobbles define the profile of Caggiole. Cerliana has more clay mixed with sand and pebbles, as well as distinctly sandy soils along the valley floors. Its elevations run between 270 and 400 meters. (Notable producers: Caggiole – Tiberini; Cerliana - La Ciarliana. Valdipiatta; Gracciano - Gracciano della Seta)

In the vineyards at Tiberini, where Sangiovese vines are up to 110 years old.

Le Grazie, located to the northwest of Montepulciano, is a continuation of Caggiole. Le Grazie varies in elevation from 290 to 460 meters, with calcareous sandy clay in the hills and more sedimentary silts over the alluvial terraces formed by the Salarco stream. 

East of Montepulciano

East of Montepulciano, we find more diversity amongst the different Pieve, which are influenced more by their closer proximity to the foothills of the Apennines and less by the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Valardegna is directly east of the city walls and has extreme slopes in elevation. This hilly area consists of thick forests, with silty, calcareous clay closer to the valley floor and sandy loam at higher elevations. Most vineyards are concentrated in the center of the subregion along a hilly crest and to the east as elevations rise toward Sant'Ilario, Cervognano and Sant'Albino. (Notable producer: Il Molinaccio di Montepulciano)

Further to the east, Sant'Ilario (initially named Argiano then changed due to confusion with the Brunello producer in Montalcino) runs parallel to Cervognano. These two areas are similar in their geographical construct—hilly closer to the interior, then tapering off to the east as they approach the flatlands that separate Montepulciano from the Valiano subregion. Sant'Ilario consists of calcareous, silty clay at its highest elevations (370 meters, with little calcareous to non-calcareous sandy terraces and pebbles near the flatlands. Cervognano is made up of calcareous, sandy loam at higher elevations (around 350 meters), with silty clay toward the flatlands. (Notable producers: Sant’Ilario - Fattoria del Cerro, Tenuta Poggio alla Sala; Cervognano - Vecchia Cantina di Montepulciano, Le Bèrne, Fattoria Svetoni)

Il Molinaccio di Montepulciano, where vineyards with a strong presence of sand are surrounded by forests.

South of Montepulciano

To the south of Montepulciano lie two of the most unique subregions within the Pieve classification, primarily due to the higher elevations (between 575 to 600 meters) and influences from the sea across the d’Orcia River valley. There are fewer planted vineyards within these Pieve to analyze. San Biagio is directly south and slightly west of Montepulciano, with calcareous, sandy loam soils at its highest point and silt clays in its valleys and closer to town. (Notable producer: Le Bertille)

The Sant'Albino Pieve is directly east of San Biagio, nestled in higher elevations to the south outside of the Montepulciano DOCG. A defining feature of this area is a broad valley that stretches eastward. Sant’Albino’s hills consist of calcareous sand and clay, which becomes siltier and loamier toward the valley floor, though some of its most interesting vineyards comprise thick blue or red clay. (Notable producer: Carpineto)

I intentionally omitted details about how the differences between these 12 subzones manifest in the wines produced there because that is almost undiscernible at this time. Tasting through a selection of Pieve today, even blind, showcases more of the winemakers’ styles than the individual terroirs. If anything, Sant'Albino and San Biagio are more differentiated from the rest of Montepulciano, showing more rugged character and fruit intensity. However, Carpineto’s Sant'Albino Pieve (the only bottling from this Pieve I tasted for this report) boasts a dark and brooding character informed by the blue clay soils of the vineyard. Interestingly, this soil is not officially considered a characteristic of the Pieve. As I’ve said previously, the success of this new classification has more to do with a higher level of quality than it does with a clear definition of terroir.

Carpineto's Poggio Sant'Enrico vineyard is planted on thick blue clay.

Not Your Average Tuscan Vintages

Montepulciano is undoubtedly closer in vintage character to Montalcino than it is to Chianti Classico, yet there are still some intricacies that warrant detailing Montepulciano vintages separately. This report includes Rosso di Montepulciano and Rosé from the low-yielding 2023 vintage, Vino Nobile from the elegant and ripe 2022 vintage and Riservas and Pieve from the more classic yet still warm 2021 vintage. 

The 2023 vintage in Montepulciano was severely impacted by challenging weather conditions. Excessive rainfall and a lack of sunlight during the spring led to a devastating outbreak of downy mildew, the worst in recent memory. This was followed by a period of unseasonably hot temperatures in July, further stressing the vines. Most producers reported devastating losses, with reductions between 50-70%. Being a region that prides itself on organic practices didn’t help, as treatments were washed away the same day they were applied. Consequently, several producers I interviewed decided against bottling any 2023 Vino Nobile. With that said, what has been bottled shows an atypical character but is still quite pleasurable. The wines are lifted and fresh, if slightly more wiry than usual.

The barrel aging cellar at Poliziano.

The 2022 vintage was a scorcher, marked by intense heat and severe drought. Visiting Montepulciano in July, I witnessed producers grappling with the dry conditions. Arid spring weather cracked open the heavy clay soils, further exacerbating the lack of moisture. While some rain eventually arrived, it proved insufficient to alleviate the vines' stress. Reflecting these challenges, the wines showcase intense ripeness and juicy acidity but at times lack depth and exhibit a slightly candied character.

The 2021s are intense and opulent wines from a warm yet balanced growing season following the challenging 2020 vintage. Frigid April temperatures impacted budbreak, resulting in lower yields. Notably consistent across producers, I expect the 2021s to enjoy long drinking windows, with many of the new Pieve wines likely to benefit from extended cellaring. This vintage is representative of the evolving viticultural practices in Montepulciano, with many growers implementing canopy management techniques to mitigate the effects of intense sun and reducing tillage to conserve soil moisture.

I tasted the wines for this report in Montepulciano in October 2024 and in our New York offices in November 2024.

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