Vecchia Cantina di Montepulciano is the  oldest co-operative winery in Tuscany and the only one in the Montepulciano region. It was founded in 1937 by fourteen wine growers. The original cellars, the Cantina del Redi, are located in the centre of the town of Montepulciano and have Etruscan origins. A new winery outside town was planned from 2004.

Staff: President Eros Trabalzini. | Vineyards Emanuele Mencucci and Francesca Innocentini. | Oenologist: 2018 Ugo Pagliai (formerly Valerio Coltellini).

Grape sources: Early-2000s: 1,500 hectares of vines from 396 active members (Rosemary George, 2004, p183). | 2014 Drawing from 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) of vines, of which 310 hectares (765 acres) of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, 130 hectares (321 acres) of Rosso di Montepulciano DOC and 1 hectare (2.47 acres of Vin Santo di Montepulciano DOC producing a total of 5 million bottles (Source: Anteprima 2014).

Red wines

Chianti DOCG: 2012 100% Sangiovese. £8-14.99. Ripe, soft, juicy, fluid, a bit simple, but gulpable with a dry new oak overlay (DWWA 2013, Commended).

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Vecchia Cantina: 2010 90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo nero. £8-14.99. Ripe spice and olive, plus cedar, ripe tannins, plenty of depth, tidy fruit at DWWA 1st May 2013 (Bronze medal). | 2015 Stinky, green, drying out (Anteprima 2018).

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Redi: 2015 Rich, extract, dry-tasting darkish fruit. Not yet fully rounded (Anteprima 2018).

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Poggio Stella: 2010 90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo. £15-29.99. Polished new oak nose, but the wood has had a slightly dried the fruit (DWWA 2013, Bronze medal).

Contact

Soc. Coop Vecchia Cantina di Montepulciano

Via Provinciale, 7

53045 Montepulciano (SI), Italy

Tel+39 0578.716092

Website: www.vecchiacantinadimontepulciano.com

Bibliography

Rosemary George MW, ‘Treading Grapes’ (London, 2004).