Sagrantino

Sagrantino is a little known, small production, red, grape variety from the Umbria region of central Italy, primarily grown around the village of Motefalco. There are about 50 producers who make a DOCG wine from it. It must be aged for at least 29 months before it can be released. It’s a tannic little bugger resulting in a rustic wine that is black to inky purple in colour and smacks of dark red fruit, with earthy, cinnamon, tarry, plumy, leathery notes. It originated as a “passito” style wine where the grapes were dried out on mats increasing the alcohol and sweetness resulting in a potent (aprox. 16% alcohol) dessert-style wine. In the last 40 years or so it has evolved into a dry style, although some producers still create the “passito” version.