I have to admit to a fondness for the wines and grapes of the Adriatic coast of Italy. The area includes the regions of Abruzzo and Marche, and the grape varieties include Montepulciano, Verdicchio, and Pecorino.
I spent a week in Ascoli Piceno province a half dozen years ago and had the opportunity to become immersed in the wine, cuisine, and culture of the area. Ascoli Piceno is the southernmost province of Marche, running along its border with Abruzzo. The two regions have similar geography, history, and economic activities.
Montepulciano is a late ripening variety which ranks next behind Sangiovese for its distribution across denominated growing regions in central and southern Italy. There are over forty DOC and DOCG classed wines in which the grape is allowed, and it must be more than 60% of the blend in about a quarter of them.
Montepulciano should not be mistaken for the grape of the Tuscan village of the same name, nor its well-known Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wine, which is made entirely of Sangiovese.
The grape is capable of making wines with deep ruby colour, sweet fruit expression, and smooth tannins, but with low to medium acidity. A blend with other varieties can add just that little extra oomph that makes for an excellent drink. In the DOC wines of Rosso Piceno and Rosso Conero from Marche, and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, that added kick is most often from the acidity of Sangiovese. The same goes for the DOCG Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane. On the other hand, a dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon is preferred for Offida Rosso DOCG from Ascoli Piceno.
In any case, the result for me are wines with terrific ripe fruit and substance which pair very well with the cuisine of the area – beef, charcuterie, game, and mature cheeses.
During my visit to the region I visited the winery of Guido Cocci Grifoni who was responsible for rediscovering the low-yielding Pecorino variety and bringing it back to some prominence. It is used to produce Offida Pecorina DOCG and is grown in neighbouring regions such as Abruzzo and Lazio.
The aroma of a Pecorino wine is a little difficult to describe. It seems to be a swirl of flavours with delicate contributions of flower blossoms, apple, nuts, and salty minerality. It is medium to full bodied in the mouth with good acidity. I was treated to a sip from a twenty year old vintage which struck me as akin to a classy white Bordeaux of the same longevity. Pecorino deserves savoury dishes of white meats or seafood, as well as some charcuterie.
There is currently only one Pecorino wine available locally, the Calai Pecorino 2012 IGT Terre di Chieti from Abruzzo (NLC $24.87). It has a rich nose with salt and mineral complexity in the mouth with just enough acidity, coupled with big mouth feel – delicious! Score: 15.5/Very Good.
We have a few more choices available for Montepulciano including the Mallorio Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2013 DOC (NLC $23.78). It displays black and red fruit on the nose, with fleshy richness, big flavour, and smooth tannins in the mouth – also delicious. Score: 15.5/Very Good.