Comparison
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo vs Hawke’s Bay Syrah
How Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Hawke’s Bay Syrah differ, dimension by dimension.
The short answer
The main differences: Hawke’s Bay Syrah has more spice; Hawke’s Bay Syrah has more floral character; Hawke’s Bay Syrah has more acidity.
Choose
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Choose Montepulciano d’Abruzzo if you prefer its flavour profile — black plum, blackberry, dried herbs.
Choose
Hawke’s Bay Syrah
Choose Hawke’s Bay Syrah if you want something spicier, more floral, fresher and more acidic.
Where they genuinely differ
Only differences large enough to notice in the glass are listed here. A gap of half a point on a five-point scale is noise, and WineHQ does not dress it up as a finding.
Spice
Clear differencePepper, clove, cinnamon and related spice notes, whether from the grape (as with rotundone in Syrah) or from oak.
Hawke’s Bay Syrah is spicier: high against low.
Floral character
Clear differenceBlossom, rose, violet, elderflower, acacia and related aromatic notes.
Hawke’s Bay Syrah is more floral: medium-plus against low.
Acidity
Clear differenceTotal perceived acidity. Rises in cooler climates and with earlier picking; falls with heat and ripeness.
Hawke’s Bay Syrah is fresher and more acidic: medium-plus against medium.
Tannin
Clear differencePhenolic compounds from grape skins, seeds, stems and oak. The principal structural axis of red wine.
Hawke’s Bay Syrah is more tannic and structured: medium-plus against medium.
Oak influence
Clear differencePerceptible impact of barrel or alternative oak contact — vanilla, toast, coconut, smoke, cedar and added texture.
Hawke’s Bay Syrah is more oaky: medium against low-medium.
Savoury character
Clear differenceNon-fruit, umami-adjacent character: meat, leather, olive, soy, broth, cured notes. Often increases with age.
Hawke’s Bay Syrah is more savoury: medium-plus against medium.
Where they are much the same
Just as useful: knowing which parts of the choice do not matter.
- Sweetness: Similar — both low.
- Alcohol: Similar — both medium-plus.
- Body: Similar — both medium-plus.
- Fruit intensity: Similar — both medium-plus.
- Aromatic intensity: Similar — both medium.
Full side by side
| Dimension | Montepulciano d’Abruzzo | Hawke’s Bay Syrah |
|---|---|---|
| Spice | low (1/5) | typically high, ranging from medium-plus to high (5/5) |
| Floral character | low (1/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Acidity | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Tannin | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Oak influence | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Savoury character | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Perceived freshness | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Sweetness | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Alcohol | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Body | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Fruit intensity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Aromatic intensity | medium (3/5) | medium (3/5) |
| Herbal / green character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Earthy character | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Carbonation | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Texture | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Serve at | 15–17°C | 15–17°C |
| Typical flavours | black plum, blackberry, dried herbs, liquorice, cocoa | blackberry, black pepper, violet, olive, plum |
Values are typical points within each wine’s range. Both wines vary — see the individual pages for how much.