What is Montepulciano d'Abruzzo?The easy-drinking red from Italy's Adriatic hills, at Fiena, King's Cross

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is a red wine made from the Montepulciano grape in Abruzzo, a region of east-central Italy that runs from the Apennine mountains down to the Adriatic coast. More than 65% of Abruzzo is mountainous, and the best hillside vineyards get plenty of sun and dry breezes off the sea.

Here's the confusing part. Montepulciano is also the name of a hill town in Tuscany, which makes a famous wine called Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. That wine is made mostly from Sangiovese and is named after the town. The Montepulciano grape has no real connection with the town, and it isn't even grown in the vineyards around it. Its origins are more likely to be in Abruzzo itself. So if a wine says "d'Abruzzo", it's the grape from the Adriatic side; if it says "Vino Nobile", it's Sangiovese from Tuscany.

After Sangiovese, Montepulciano is Italy's second most widely grown native grape, found right across central and southern Italy. Background from Wikipedia's Montepulciano grape page.

• A DOC since 1968: Montepulciano d'Abruzzo was first classified as a Denominazione di origine controllata in 1968, and it became one of Italy's most widely exported DOC wines.
• At least 85% Montepulciano: up to 15% Sangiovese is allowed to fill out the blend.
• Riserva: a Riserva must be aged for at least two years, including at least nine months in wooden barrels.
• A rosé cousin: the deep pink Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo, "cherry red", got its own DOC in 2010. It's unrelated to Sicily's Cerasuolo di Vittoria, which we wrote about in our Nero d'Avola post.

Background from Wikipedia's Montepulciano d'Abruzzo page.

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is typically dry, with soft tannins, and it's often drunk young. Wine writers describe it as deeply coloured, with pepper and spice notes, earthy tones and black berries. Oz Clarke says its slightly rustic edge softens when you drink it with food.

On our drinks menu, the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is described as a classic medium-bodied dry red from Abruzzo, offering plum and red berry aromas with soft tannins. It sits at the friendly, everyday end of our red list, alongside the Cara Amica Sangiovese, so you can try the two grapes that people mix up side by side. For something fuller, there's the Vitis Nostra Nero d'Avola, and for a special occasion the Barolo or the Fidora Amarone. See our guide to our Italian wine list, and ask our team about glasses and bottles when you order.

Guests notice the wine as well as the food. After a pizza dinner, Normof wrote: Wine was good, too. (Google review) And Katelyn found the Best aperol spritz and spaghetti bolognaise I’ve had in a while! (Katelyn, Google review), a dish that's a natural match for this wine.

A medium-bodied red with soft tannins is one of the most food-friendly wines there is. From our main menu:

• Spaghetti bolognese, with slow-cooked beef ragù.
• Lasagna, with fresh pasta, beef ragù, béchamel, mozzarella and parmesan.
• Penne arrabbiata, with tomato sauce, chilli and garlic, vegan.
• Capricciosa pizza, with ham, mushroom, olives and artichokes.
• Pollo ai funghi, pan-fried chicken with sautéed mushrooms and cream.

See our posts on spaghetti bolognese, lasagna, penne arrabbiata and the Capricciosa.

“the level of service and the quality of the food was really good”

Nick, Google review, 2026