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I use this wine key: Forge de Laguiole Ebony
I have used this glass in this Video: Zieher "Fresh"
I have tasted the following wines in this Video:
2018 La Braccesca Maggiarino Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Italy
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/marchesi+antinori+la+braccesca+maggiarino+docg+nobile+di+montepulciano+tuscany+italy/2018?referring_site=KSB
2018 Salcheto Vecchie Viti del Salco Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Italy
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/salcheto+vecchie+viti+salco+docg+nobile+di+montepulciano+tuscany+italy/2018?referring_site=KSB
2018 Boscarelli Costa Grande Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Italy
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/boscarelli+costa+grand+docg+nobile+di+montepulciano+tuscany+italy/2018?referring_site=KSB
2018 Poliziano Le Caggiole Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Italy
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/poliziano+le+caggiole+docg+nobile+di+montepulciano+tuscany+italy/2018?referring_site=KSB
2018 Avignonesi Poggetto di Sopra Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Italy
https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/avignonesi+poggetto+di+sopra+nobile+montepulciano+docg+tuscany+italy/2018?referring_site=KSB
It is the essence of Italy. Its name is a reference to Jupiter -the god of the sky and chief deity of Rome - and good Sangiovese can taste heavenly, but it only really performs at the highest level at home.
The heart of the Sangiovese production beats in Tuscany – one of the most beautiful regions of Italy and I decided to dive deep into a wine region that has dedicated itself to producing complex wines with this noble grape variety- The Wine is called Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
To get this out of the way right from the start: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano or Vino Nobile translates to the Noble wine from the town of Montepulciano. It has nothing to do with the grape variety Montepulciano which is for example grown in Abruzzo.
So if you want to get to the source of Vino Nobile you have to come to the old town of Montepulciano. It is located in Tuscany, roughly 100 km south of Florenz.
Montepulciano’s history goes back to the 4th century BC and it is a tourist attraction today with many wine shops, restaurants, and scenic views … you can sit on a stone bench to rest after a day of tasting wine.
I just missed the Bravio delle Botti a festival that includes an uphill race of people pushing wine barrels to the main square an event that really can only take place that has a deep-rooted wine culture.
Vino Nobile became one of Tuscany’s most famous wines when in 1685, Renaissance poet Francesco Redi called it the “King of all wines” in his poem “Bacco in Toscana”.
This is kinda like Jay Z rapping about his favorite Champagne Brand today.
I first came into contact with Vino Nobile when I was a student in Florence. I went to a shop and asked for a nice bottle of wine. Or as I called it in my broken Italian: “Una bounna bottiglia di vino rosso” and left the shop with a bottle of Avignonesi’s Rosso di Montepulciano – effectively the second wine of the estate.
I was fascinated back then by the freshness and liveliness of the wine that combined intense cherry fruit character, with black tea notes and a lively texture.
The Rosso represents the entry-level at most estates. It is a fresh and fruit-driven wine usually made for immediate consumption and It usually is very good value giving you an introduction to the style of the region.
That is not to say that the “REAL” Vino Nobile is expensive. I would argue that it is one of the cheapest classic wine styles in Italy. While the prices for top wines from the north and also from neighboring regions in Tuscany have gone up significantly, Vino Nobile’s prices have stayed fairly stable.
Vino Nobile has to contain at least 70% Sangiovese – which is also called Prugnolo Gentile in the region. Growers can blend in other red and white grape varieties but the trend is more towards using higher shares of up to 100% of Sangiovese to produce a pure expression of that grape variety and the region.
I was invited to come to the region by Alliance Vinum, a group of some of the best producers of vino Nobile and they have set out to produce great Sangiovese from top vineyards in the region.
So 15 years after my first contact with Vino Nobile it was time for me to travel there, revive my memories, and find out what makes this place special.
I came to the region during harvest which is a magical time for me. The excitement about the incoming grapes was palpable at every winery I visited, and I got to witness all the joy without having to go through the backbreaking labor and sleepless nights the winemakers have to deal with.