Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC
Synopsis
History: Established as a DOC in 1968; the Colline Teramane and Casauria subzones were established as separate DOCGs in 2003 and 2025, respectively
Principal Red Grape Varieties:
Styles and Wine Composition
RED WINES
- Non-subzone Rosso (Rd): Minimum 85% Montepulciano + OANRG
- Subzones Colline Pescaresi, San Martino sulla Marrucina, Teate, Terre Aquilane, Terre dei Vestini, and Terre di Chieti: Minimum 90% Montepulciano + OANRG
- Subzones Alto Tirino and Terre dei Peligni: Minimum 95% Montepulciano + OANRG
- Superiore (Rosso from Colline Pescaresi, San Martino sulla Marrucina, Terre Aquilane, or Terre di Chieti subzone)
- Riserva (Rosso from any subzone)
Subzones and Other Geographic Terms
- Alto Tirino (Rosso and Riserva only)
- Colline Pescaresi (Superiore and Riserva only)
- San Martino sulla Marrucina (Superiore and Riserva only)
- Teate (Rosso and Riserva only)
- Terre Aquilane/Terre de L’Aquila (Superiore and Riserva only)
- Terre dei Peligni (Rosso and Riserva only)
- Terre dei Vestini (Rosso and Riserva only)
- Terre di Chieti (Superiore and Riserva only)
Significant Production Rules
- Maximum vineyard elevation: 600 m (1,970 ft) generally, 700 m (2,300 ft) for vineyards with southern exposure
- Minimum alcohol level: 12.0% for non-subzone Rosso; 12.5% for Rosso or Superiore from any subzone; 13.0% for all Riservas
- Residual sugar: Maximum 4 g/l (0.4%) for Superiore; maximum 9 g/l (0.9%) for non-subzone Rosso (or less for wines with low acidity)
- Aging: For non-subzone Rosso, minimum approx. 3 months (ERD = February 1, V+1); for Colline Pescaresi Superiore, Terre Aquilane Superiore, and Terre di Chieti Superiore, minimum 6 months (ERD = October 1, V+1); for Alto Tirino Rosso, minimum 12 months (ERD = November 1, V+1); for San Martino sulla Marrucina Superiore, minimum 12 months, including 6 months in barrel (ERD = November 1, V+1); for Teate Rosso, minimum 21 months, including 9 months in barrel (ERD = August 1, V+2); for Terre dei Vestini Rosso, minimum 21 months, including 9 months in barrel and 3 months in bottle (ERD = August 1, V+2); for Terre dei Peligni Rosso, minimum 24 months, including 9 months in barrel (ERD = November 1, V+2); for San Martino sulla Marrucina Riserva, minimum 24 months, including 12 months in barrel (ERD = November 1, V+2); for Colline Pescaresi Riserva, Terre Aquilane Riserva, and Terre di Chieti Riserva, minimum 24 months, including 6 months in barrel (ERD = January 1, V+3); for Alto Tirino Riserva, minimum 30 months (ERD = May 1, V+3); for Teate Riserva and Terre dei Peligni Riserva, minimum 30 months, including 9 months in barrel (ERD = May 1, V+3); for Terre dei Vestini Riserva, minimum 30 months, including 9 months in barrel and 6 months in bottle (ERD = May 1, V+3)
Last Disciplinare Modification:
09/23/2026