An Adelaide Hills Cool-Climate Gem — Montepulciano with Dark Fruit, Savoury Depth & Italian Soul

The 2018 Bird in Hand Montepulciano is a bold, brooding cool-climate expression of one of central Italy's great red varieties — deep, dark and built for the table. Drinking beautifully now through 2029.

My Wine Man on Bird in Hand

Bird in Hand is one of Adelaide Hills' most respected family estates, founded in 1997 by the Nugent family on a historic gold-rush property in Woodside. The estate farms across some of the Hills' finest cool-climate sites, producing wines of genuine precision and character. Their commitment to Italian varieties — Montepulciano, Nero d'Avola — reflects a winemaking philosophy that prizes savoury complexity and food-friendliness over easy fruit. In the cool, elevated Adelaide Hills, Montepulciano finds the acidity and structure it needs to produce something genuinely compelling: dark, brooding, and unmistakably Italian in spirit.

Tasting Notes

Deep ruby-purple with vibrant, youthful hues — this is a wine that announces itself in the glass. The nose is dark, brooding and inviting: blackberry, plum, anise, a touch of mocha and dried herbs. The palate is medium-to-full bodied with supple, grippy tannins, lively acidity and a long, savoury finish. A wine of real character and presence.

Style & Drinking Window

Medium-to-full bodied, dark-fruited and savoury with firm, well-integrated tannins. Drinking superbly now and through 2029. Decant for 30–45 minutes to open up the aromatics and soften the structure.

Food Pairing

The dark fruit, anise and savoury depth of this Montepulciano demand a serious match. We love it with Australian Grass-Fed Cape Grim Rib-Eye Steak from My Meat Man — char-grilled medium-rare, the rich marbling and savoury crust are a magnificent partner for the wine's blackberry, mocha and grippy Adelaide Hills tannins. Also outstanding with slow-braised lamb or a hearty pasta ragù.