Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, loosely translated as, the Noble Wine of Montepulciano, is an often overlooked DOCG wine from the Tuscan hill top town of Montepulciano. Why overlooked? Well, it just so happens that Montepulciano’s “next door” neighbor is the prestigious town of Montalcino. With the prominent Brunello hailing from a stones throw away, it’s easy to be relegated to second class status. Although that status may not be completely justified, for while the Noble Wine of Montepulciano is indeed delicious, it fails to consistently reach the heights that fine Brunello regularly attains. Made from at least 70% “Prugnolo Gentile” the local name for the Sangiovese grape, Vino Nobile can be blended with Malvasia or may be 100% Prugnolo Gentile.
The 2008 Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is an unspecified blend, but I’m suspecting that it’s well over 70% Prugnolo Gentile. It’s a deep ruby red in the glass with classic Sangiovese aromas and flavors of wild berries, dried herbs, sweet tobacco, leather and earth. There’s a slight oak component underneath that adds, but does not detract. Medium bodied and in good balance, the wine represents exactly what Vino Nobile is about. While delicious, this reminds of a top Chianti Classico or a very good Rosso di Montalcino. It doesn’t have the power, finesse, body, or complexity that Brunello exhibits and while some writers always seek to compare the two wines because of their hamlets proximity, I believe it’s comparing apples to oranges.
Regardless of how you view it, Avignonesi may well be the best producer of Vino Nobile and this wine is worth having in the cellar for a slightly different take on Sangiovese. 90 points, about $23.
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| 2008 Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano |
Good Info John.
I love Vino Noble, and I buy them when I can find them.
Would you say that 90 points is about as high a score as you have given to one of these?
Dennis,
I think that I've probably given higher scores to Vino Nobile's that have been from better vintages. Many of course, pre-date this website. For example, I recall really enjoying the Fattoria del Cerro 2004 which I'm sure I rated higher than 90 points. Likely about 92-94. It was an amazing wine and an even better value at around $18. The other top Vino Nobile is Poliziano, but for some reason, their availability around here seems somewhat spotty.
J
John, spotty is the term, for finding any Vino Ns is difficult; it appears that unless it's a "typical" wine (i.e. Chianti), all other varietals are relatively few in numbers.
John, thanks so much for taking your time to follow-up on many of my parochial thoughts and questions.
Dennis
Keep 'em coming my friend. That's what this website is all about. There's another VdM I see often too, Dei. But I find that's the spottiest quality of the four.
One of my favourite Vino Nobiles, I organised an evening of Vino Nobile tasting in March with some friends, and we tasted the 2008 Avignonesi alongside some Boscarelli, Poliziano, Salcheto and Villa Sant'Anna.
FWIW, this was my note on the Avignonesi at the time…
"absolutely quintessential Vino Nobile, or Tuscan Sangiovese full stop. Earthy, juicy, mouthwatering fruit; sour cherry, tealeaf, tobacco, attractively rustic tannins, great acidity, perfectly balanced, very good length. When I drink wines like this, I wonder if it's worth shelling out the extra for 'finer' wines when this sort of wine gives such sheer drinking pleasure. Utterly delicious"
It is 100% Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile)
While I agree with you in general terms that Vino Nobile doesn't reach the heights of the best Brunello, there are plenty of disappointing Brunellos for the price and plenty of excellent VNs that are better value. Much less producers too of course (70 as opposed to 250 ish) I'm not sure I'd agree with 'apples and oranges' though, there is plenty of variation within each both stylistically and qualitatively, and plenty of common ground when the distinctive Sangio characteristics shine through.
It is the same situation over here with getting hold of much for sale, merchants and consumers both neglect it, as I think it often falls between the fame and everyday availability of Chianti and the fine wine glamour of Brunello.
I spent 2 days in Montepulciano last month, a few days after being in Montalcino. Breathtakingly beautiful town and location, and great wine and food everywhere, producer's shops and Cantini you can just walk in and taste for free. I tasted plenty of examples I hadn't tried before- Dei, Talosa, Icario, Le Bertille, Valdipiatta, Antico Colle (very good), but my favourites remain Avignonesi and Boscarelli followed by Salcheto and Poliziano.
Adam,
We probably don't see anywhere near 70 producers of Vino Nobile here. Just a handful tops. Even Boscarelli is difficult to locate. I love them and for whatever reason, they are always off the radar. Good for us!
J
Yes same here John, the only poor Vino Nobiles I've tried are Cecchi and Innocenti, I guess the variation allowed in varietal blend with only 70% minimum Sangio leads to a range of style and quality. But it is hard to find many Vino Nobiles easily available, I tend to snap them up where I find them.
I remembered another excellent producer imported into the UK- Podere Le Berne, don't know if you've come across them, very good and good value…
Not heard of them either. The only ones I spot regularly are: Avignonesi, Poliziano, Fattoria del Cerro and less regularly, Boscarelli.
Even more rare is the Poliziano Asinone.
We have one wine shop quite near us that have a big cellar, and they have a fair bit of Asinone 99 and 01, the '99 is superb. I don't know anywhere here that currently stocks newer vintages of it though sadly.
Poliziano (Asinone) Boscarelli (Noccio) & Avignonesi are amongst the best Nobile around. They cost a fraction of what one may have to pay for an ill-terroired Brunello. The climate at Montepulciano is clearly more continental (warmer in summer), which actually suits much better the Sangiovese needs for ripeness. The Nobile is for sure the best Tuscan Sangiovese around when it is home made (not produced by bottlers, which is the vast majority, Alas!). Actually is has always been considered as such, with the exception of the last 30 years or so, owing to an excellent marketing in the US driven by Banfi.
Hi Mdzbtz,
I appreciate your comments. However, if you're going to come on here and take shots at other wineries and the entire Brunello appellation for that matter, at least disclose that you work for Avignonesi.
As for Vino Nobile, I love it very much, but I've never had an example that was consistently better than an equivalent Brunello. And that has nothing to do with what ANYONE tells me – it has to do with what I taste! I can say the same of many other people I know, but amateur and professional.
So say you love Vino Nobile. You will get lots of agreement. Extol the virtues of the appellation and the people. But there's no need bash others in order to make your point.
Thanks for contributing.
First of all, I make no mystery that I work for Avignonesi but for its commercial division called Classica International, which actually distributes two excellent Brunellos: “Gianni Brunelli” and “Piancornello”. I drink them and I sell them with a great deal of enthusiasm. So don’t get me wrong, I’m not bashing at anybody, I’m just making comments based on tangible reality. The fact is that Brunello’s vineyard has grown from 53,6 ha in 1969 to 1.344 ha in thirty years. Meanwhile the production per hectare has increased. (Just google: OECD Brunello 2002). Honestly, are you convinced that this growth has been limited to the best terroirs available in Montalcino? Personally, I doubt it, for the simple reason that from my bedroom I can read the time on Montalcino’s belfry except in autumn because of the morning mist (now you understand where I live). In the meantime the price of any Brunello has soared irrespective of the area it comes from. My message was perhaps confusing, so let’s make it clear: I am certainly not saying that Nobile is better than Brunello, I am just saying, alike many professionals and critics nowadays, that a good Nobile (produced in Montepulciano and not elsewhere by dispensation*) is a better deal than a poor Brunello. Contrary to what you may think, neither Laura Brunelli nor Claudio Monaci whom I cannot wave from my window will contradict me. Needless to say that Paola da Ferrari and Federico Carletti won’t either.
(*) A substantial part of the Nobile DOCG production is legally bottled outside of Montepulciano, owing to special dispensations that have been granted by competent authorities in the past.