Tasting Sagrantino Wines, Fall 2024
Montefalco is not a city commonly invoked when discussing red wine destinations. Umbria is not a region immediately surfacing to top of mind when thinking about Italian wines, and Sagrantino is certainly not a wine frequently discussed here in the United States. But this dense, fairly disease-resistant grape is starting to quietly make waves, with vines currently planted and producing grapes in California, Arizona, Washington, and Texas. It’s only a matter of time before your local wine shop starts stocking this varietal with regularity.
One of the most tannin-heavy and boldest wines available (think Tannat), each of these wines improves with a significant amount of time opened and decanted. Plan your evening accordingly, especially if preparing a preparation-intensive dinner. Here is a quintet of Sagrantini we recently tried and enjoyed to get the conversation going.
2018 Tenute Lunelli Carapace Montefalco Sagrantino – Fruit-forward and quite dense, this Sagrantino’s focuses on a core full of raspberry and cherry but is accompanied by notes of tea leaf and blackberry compote emerging with time. Well-balanced with a finish emphasizing acidity, it works well as a standalone or with a meal. When factoring in price, accessibility (this is ready to drink now or in a year), and approachability into the equation this is an ideal starting point on which to start an exploration into Sagrantino. A- / $44
2018 Tabarrini Colle Grimaldesco Montefalco Sagrantino – Cocoa powder and overripe plum lead the charge on the nose, with blackberry and nutmeg attacking on the palate. This fires on all cylinders and is unyielding in flavor from start to finish. Tabarrini’s website suggests pairing this with the Pixies 1988 classic “Where Is My Mind” or that feel-good movie from the ’90s, Fight Club. Far be it from me to quarrel with either suggestion. A- / $50
2018 Scacciadiavoli Montefalco Sagrantino – Quite earthy, with pronounced aromas of pine needle and allspice immediately in the glass. With time, the wine evolves and unfolds familiar notes of blackberry, cassis, and a slight touch of black licorice throughout. The earthy character never releases its grip on dominance, but the dark fruit never lets this lose total control. Another 2 to 3 years in bottle would serve this well. B+ / $48
2019 Montioni Montefalco Sagrantino – A lengthy amount of time (about 2.5 hours) was used in decanting, the longest of any bottle in this roundup, and it was still rather beefy. Out of the bottle, it is a non-stop barrage of blackberry and mint. However the time invested paid off, and the dominant aromas simmer down and are joined by complementary notes of clove and roasted espresso bean. The density continues its aggressive march on the palate with a well-balanced body showcasing notes of pepper, blackberry, and leather before a drying, earthy finish settles matters nicely. B+ / $56
2016 Perticaia Montefalco Sagrantino – Notes of sweet cherry and baking spice on the nose give this a distinct profile when presented in the context of this roundup. Vibrant acidity and grippy tannins accompany plum, tobacco leaf, and wild herbs on the palate before resting on a dry finish full of cherry and fig. It might work well with a hearty, meat-heavy meal, but could use a bit of time stored away somewhere. B / $47
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