red grape · regional specialty
Sagrantino
Montefalco, Italy
Say it
sah·gran·tee·no
Stress the third syllable, -TEE-.
On the palate
blackberryblack plumblack cherrycocoadried herbsviolet
How you spot it blind: towering, grippy tannin that dominates despite ripe black fruit
The story
First written down · 1549, Trevi, Italy
Native to the Montefalco area of Umbria, with the first clear record in 1549 at Trevi. It dwindled in the 20th century, then local work led by Arnaldo Caprai revived it; the wine gained DOC in 1979 and DOCG in 1992.
Where it lives
Umbria, Italy · South Australia, Australia · Victoria, Australia · California, USA
Shows up as
still redpassito