Winemaker Notes
In the glass, this wine shows a vibrant color with purplish-red highlights and releases aromas of small red berries, pomegranate, and the unmistakable violet character typical of fine Sangiovese, complemented by subtle hints of vanilla and tomato leaf. On the palate, it is well balanced, with a lively vein of acidity that provides length and freshness, while sweet notes of ripe cherry and plum jam add depth. The dynamic body is framed by precise, elegant tannins, leading to remarkable drinkability and a long, lingering finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A wine of austere elegance on the nose due to a tight mix of red cherries and sweet violets soaked in orange zest. The juicy palate is medium- to full-bodied with ripe and velvety tannins and lifted, precise acidity. The savory and mostly floral aftertaste is full of tension. Great sample. Drink or hold.
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Vinous
The 2021 Nobile opens with a minty freshness, with a bouquet of sweet herbs and stone dust giving way to a bright cherry note and autumnal spice nuances. This is sleek and youthfully slender yet packed with tart wild berry fruit tones and a spike of citrus that ride a silken textural wave. Hints of sweet lavender amass toward the close. The 2021 tapers off with potent length and structure, leaving the palate with a pleasantly bitter sensation that calls the taster back to the glass. Give the 2021 a few years to mellow out—it will be worth the wait.
Rating: 92+
Among Italy's elite red grape varieties, Sangiovese has the perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino. Somm Secret—Sangiovese doubles under the alias, Nielluccio, on the French island of Corsica where it produces distinctly floral and refreshing reds and rosés.
This significant Tuscan village—not to be confused with the red grape of the same name widely grown in Abruzzo and the Marche regions—was home to one of the first four Italian DOCGs granted in 1980.
Based on the Sangiovese grape (here called Prugnolo Gentile), the village’s prized wine called Vino Nobile di Montepulciano ranks stylistically in between Chianti Classico, for its finesse, and Brunello di Montalcino for its power. With a deep ruby color, heavy concentration and a firm structure given by the village's heavy, cool clay soils, most Vino Nobile di Montepulciano will demand some bottle age.