Two Tuscan giants: Brunello and Vino Nobile

In many wine regions, the grape variety is proudly displayed on the label. Merlot, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon have become the ready reference to wine. But in southern Tuscany, more complex and arguably opaque traditions prevail. Winegrowers stake their primary reputations on the terroir (local growing conditions), rather than a particular grape variety.

This is the single most important factor which unites the regions of Montalcino and Montepulciano. There is much common ground between these destinations. Both host a mass of quality-led producers. Both are defined by their heterogeneous topography, which engenders stylistic differences across the different vineyard sites within the appellation. And they each believe in expressing the respective characteristics of each vintage, rather than attempting to subjugate what Mother Nature threw at them.

Montalcino and Montepulciano are also heavily devoted to the cultivation of Sangiovese, and yet the grape variety is never mentioned on the front label of their respective produce. Growers regard a wine’s origin as the defining issue, as opposed to the fruit juice that was fermented. This is equally the case with Brunello di Montalcino and its cousin, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino overview

Most collectors and wine enthusiasts have their comfort zones, but viticulture is wonderfully diverse. It pays to dive occasionally into exploratory drinking. Aficionados of Brunello di Montalcino may appreciate the lower asking price and crisp red fruit profile of young Vino Nobile. Fans of Montepulciano may like to experience Brunello’s awesome power and strength of personality.

Brunello di Montalcino

The Montalcino zone is located about 80km south of Florence, in the province of Siena. The vineyards stretch from around the town of Montalcino itself to the southern expanses of the exquisitely beautiful Val d’Orcia. Until the last quarter of the 20th century, Brunello wines were scarcely recognised outside of Italy. However, the US company Banfi invested heavily in the region in the 1980s, popularising the style in North American and the UK. Awarded DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) status in 1980, Brunello is now one of Tuscany’s most prestigious and sought-after wines.

Often expensive, Brunello di Montalcino is nonetheless worth every penny. The top labels boast a depth, complexity and concentration of flavour that is rarely encountered even in Europe’s most exalted appellations. The wines represent a harmonious marriage between Montalcino’s fabled terroir and the Sangiovese grape. By law, Brunello di Montalcino is always 100% Sangiovese. The ageing of the wine is also strictly regulated. Brunello must be aged for a total of four years (including two years in barrel) and the wines must be in bottle for at least four months prior to their commercial release. This is one of the reasons why Brunello is routinely celebrated for its powerful structure and inimitable capacity for long ageing.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Mirroring Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, was bestowed DOCG status in 1980. The vineyards flank the hill town of Montepulciano in all directions, in the southern Tuscan province of Siena. There are over 1,800 hectares under vine, sandwiched between the Ocria and the Chiana rivers. Sangiovese is the most common grape variety, known locally as Prugnolo Gentile.

Unlike Brunello, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano does permit the inclusion of additional grape varieties and must contain a minimum of 70% Sangiovese. Thereafter, the individual grower can blend in up to 30% of international grape varieties like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, or perhaps they’d champion Colorinio, a grape native to Italy. A growing number of wine estates market a 100% Sangiovese version of the style, while others are committed to blending. This ensures that the wines can vary quite markedly, which only adds to the region’s appeal.

In parallel with Montalcino, the Montepulciano consorzio (wine authority) regulates the amount of barrel and bottle ageing before the wines can be released. Producers must age their wines in wood for a minimum of 12 months—this applies to both the Annata and Riserva versions. However, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano cannot be marketed until the wines are at least two years old (three years for Riservas). The Montepulciano region has also created a junior designation for younger wines: Rosso di Montepulciano. Aged for six months, the best wines are fresh and fruit-driven. Montalcino has adopted a similar philosophy, as Rosso di Montalcino can be released after one year’s age.

It is difficult, therefore, to summarise Vino Nobile. But we can say that the region’s wines are typically medium-bodied and often quite tannic in their youth. Vino Nobile wines are usually more approachable in their formative years. Critics often highlight aromas and flavours of red cherry, raspberry, and plum, supported by firm acidity and a gently astringent tannin. With age, gamey and earthy notes will emerge. Moreover, Vino Nobile arguably offers better value. Even the most lauded examples are (usually) priced below Brunello di Montalcino wines.

Comparing Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino

Even the best Vino Nobile di Montepulciano will lack the immense concentration and structure of a top Brunello wine. The best Brunellos only really show their hand after five to seven years. Montalcino’s iconic wine style will typically offer more body, density and alcohol. The aromatic profile can lean towards the exotic, with notes of balsamic, truffle and garrigue. These variations chiefly arise as a result of differences in climate. Montalcino’s summers are normally very hot and dry, with temperatures regularly exceeding 30 degrees centigrade. This inevitably leads to high levels of sugar in the grapes, and consequently robust levels of alcohol. Montepulciano’s growing seasons can be somewhat cooler, with higher annual rainfall on average.

Elevation plays a defining role in shaping what style of wine emerges from vineyards in southern Tuscany, creating a patchwork of distinctive micro-climates. Following the pattern in Montalcino, the highest vineyards are found on the steep slopes which surround the town of Montepulciano itself. These slow-ripening sites are often the last to be harvested, yielding the best of both worlds: concentrated fruit which has kept its balancing acidity. The soils are extremely varied in both regions, ranging from clay to metamorphic rocks and limestone. Lower altitudes tend to encourage faster rates of ripening and more opulent, concentrated wines.

Of course, the vagaries of each growing season can often muddy the waters. Even low altitude sites struggled to produce concentrated wines in 2014. This was a cooler vintage that lent itself to fresh, high-acid wines in both Montalcino and Montepulciano. In contrast, 2017, 2018 and 2019 are all considered standout warm years for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The wines are ripe—atypically so in 2017—and voluptuous in some cases. Our favourite vintages of Brunello are 2015 and 2016. The former created bottles of immense concentration, whereas the latter was conducive to producing wines of impressive depth and structure. Wines from 2015/16 also have the dual merit of being fresh and yet powerfully tannic.