espite the name, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is in no way linked with the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The Tuscan wine is named for the town, while that of the Abruzzi bears the same name as the variety, which predominates in the grape mixture from which it is made.
It can be asserted without fear of contradiction that the Montepulciano variety originated in the Valle Peligna in the Abruzzi, an assertion that was originally advanced by Michele Troia, a historian of the 18th century, a period that is considerably anterior to the date of Tuscan origin claimed for the variety.
The Montepulciano variety was developed through selection by the growers and it displayed significant capacity for adaptation to different environments, which facilitated its spread to other territories nearby. Today, it is cultivated in all four provinces of the Abruzzi (Chieti, L'Aquila, Pescara and Teramo) at altitudes not exceeding 500 meters. In addition to the variety of the same name, Sangiovese, which is clearly of Tuscan origin, having been developed in the Chianti district, is also used in the production of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.
A special wine, the Cerasuolo, is made through vinification off the skins or, in vintages when the must is weak in color, after brief maceration. The wine is named for its cherry-like color. The Cerasuolo is not easy to produce. Even slight blending with another wine is sufficient to destroy its excellent sensory characteristics.
