Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2018 and Riserva 2017: vintage report and top wines

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2018 and Riserva 2017

If 2017 was shaped by frost and drought, Montepulciano’s 2018 vintage can be characterised by its two distinct phases during the growing season.

The heavy rainfall in February and March that replenished severely depleted reserves continued until mid-July. Then, in an about-face, the weather became dry and windy. August through October boasted higher-than-average temperatures and below-average precipitation.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2018 and Riserva 2017 wines

The wet weather of the early season made vineyard management tricky. Peronospora was a constant threat: ‘It meant having to spray much more often,’ says Luca De Ferrari at Boscarelli, estimating a total of 13 to 14 treatments.

Furthermore, the vines were ‘hungover’ from the drought conditions of 2017. Development was irregular and slow at first, followed by sudden vigorous growth. The resulting clusters were compact and tight with large berries. Growers were concerned about botrytis but this was largely averted thanks to clement weather during veraison and leading up to harvest.

Favourable conditions late in the season encouraged even ripening. ‘We were able to pick with the right phenolic ripeness early October,’ asserts Giuseppe Rigoli, winemaker at Gracciano della Seta. And at Valdipiatta, Miriam Caporali explains that a dry September made it possible to spread the harvest over the entire month.

Nonetheless, late-September rain challenged some. Though not dissatisfied with the vintage, Michele Manelli at Salcheto admits to being a bit squeezed, saying that the vines never completely caught up after the cooler temperatures early in the summer. ‘We would have waited a few more days to harvest but it wasn’t possible because of sanitary pressure,’ he says. Marco Malavasi at Il Molinaccio concurs, asserting that ‘2018 was a good year but not good enough to produce a Riserva.’

How do the Vino Nobile 2018s taste?

Complications due to the pandemic meant that I tasted far fewer Vino Nobile di Montepluciano wines than in normal years. Several estates had yet to bottle their 2018s at the time of writing, but the handful I did taste were from producers that I believe to be among the best in the zone.

The wines showed lovely definition of aromas, vibrancy and balanced alcohol. A couple of producers described the wines as slender, and they are certainly finer-framed than 2017 and less plush than 2015.

In some examples, the tannins are still a bit austere, but became friendlier after being open for a day.

Give these a few more months in bottle to knit together then drink over the next five to eight years. I look forward to assessing the full potential of this vintage when the 2018 Riservas, vineyard selections and late-releases come onto the market next year.

The dozen Riservas, and others, I did taste this time around allowed me to revisit 2017.

There is no doubt that in this hot, dry year it was a challenge balancing tannin ripeness and alcohol levels. In a few wines, pronounced oak exaggerates the fruit ripeness. Nevertheless, there were some pleasant surprises, and both Boscarelli and Dei even managed to capture Sangiovese’s beautiful aromatic intricacies.

Pieve: a new category

My tasting of these new releases coincided with the announcement of a third category of Vino Nobile do Montepulciano (somewhat analogous to Chianti Classico’s Gran Selezione).

The new designation, called ‘Pieve’, divides Montepulciano into 12 subzones. For a wine to qualify, it must be made from an estate’s own grapes, contain a minimum of 85% Sangiovese complemented by indigenous grapes only, and pass an analytic tasting commission. Among the dozen producers I spoke to, excitement for the project is palpable.

The name, however, will be a mouthful. Already, as of the 2018 vintage, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano must now include the indication ‘Toscana’ on the label to distinguish the wine from the unrelated Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. The addition of ‘Pievi’ or a named subzone to that will be a lot to swallow. However, if it truly serves to elevate the region and its wines, then it is a giant step in the right direction.

With a minimum ageing requirement of 36 months, the inaugural Pieve releases from 2020 will not hit the market until 2024. In the meantime, it is clear that a growing number of the region’s producers have already made significant efforts to improve quality. If you have yet to venture into Vino Nobile, now is the time to do so.

Stand-out producers

Boscarelli: An impressive set of Riserva and single-vineyard bottlings demonstrate rare finesse in 2007.

Tenuta di Gracciano della Seta: Consistently elegant, and excellent value for money.

Il Molinaccio: An up-and-coming, boutique producer making unique but tasty wines.

Top Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2018 and Riserva 2017 wines:

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