Wine on the Radio - June 18, 2003

Montepulciano                              Recommendations         Listen

We'd like to share one of our favorite wines with you . . . Vino Nobile de Montepulciano.

Montepulciano is a town in Tuscany and Vino Nobile is the Sangiovese based wine it is

famous for.  When we spoke with winemaker Ambrogio Folonari here's how he described it: 

"Nobile is the brother of Chianti and among the classics of Tuscany .  In taste, body and

aging it's halfway between the more well known Chianti Classico and Brunello.  It's a soft, easy

to drink wine with some elegance and silkiness.  Nobile has the fresh fruit flavors of ripe

cherries and a floral scent like violets."

There's pasta they make in Montepulciano that's rolled by hand into a long tube-like shape.its called

bucatini.  Tossed with olive oil, herbs and mushrooms, or even a simple meat sauce, it's like the

bucatini dresses up just for the Nobile.

Pop the cork.                                                   

Some Vino Nobile to look for . . . All Prices Approximate

Avignonesi 1999 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano $18
Vino Nobile is garnet red in color; its bouquet is delicate and intense, with a slight scent

of violet

La Braccesca 1998 Nobile di Montepulciano $25
Deep violet in color with a very dense and intense nose that reflects the wines acidity and

excellent extraction

1997 Dei Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva $30
Clear garnet color with an orange glint

1999 Poliziano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano $25
WS 89 points