We recently gathered with some our fellow wine bloggers/writers/influences for an episode of Cork Talk. As part of that event, we included a vertical tasting of Sagrantino from Raffalidini Vineyards in Ronda, NC. We tasted the 2015, 2019, 2020, and 2022 vintages along with a recently released non-vintage Sagrantino blend called Il Falco.
About Sagrantino
Sagrantino is a vitis vinifera that originates from Umbria in Central Italy being primarily grown in the village of Montefalco. Its thick skins make it a good choice for North Carolina’s humidity. Sagrantino is also known as one of the most tannic grape varieties in the world.
Raffaldini was among the first vineyards in the United States to plant this variety. The initial planting of 8 acres was around 2011. The first bottling of Sagrantino as a standalone variety was from the 2015 harvest.
As with many of Raffaldini’s red wines, all of these Sagrantinos had at least some portion that went through the appassimento drying process prior to fermentation.
Tasting Notes
2015 Sagrantino – As mentioned earlier, this was the first vintage. It’s also the only Sagrantino we tasted that was 100% that variety. There was some slight browning on the edges of this wine. The nose showed brambly notes with hints of black cherry. Concentrated raspberries and plums along with medium tannins produced a balanced palate. The finish was long. This wine is to be drunk now.
2019 Sagrantino – This wine was a blend of Sagrantino (78%), Petit Verdot (15%), Montepulciano (5%), and Tannat (3%) with some appassimento used. The color was dark ruby and the nose had notes of spiced cherry, currant, and coffee. The palate was rich and lush with black cherry and black tea notes. Tannins were pronounced. This wine is in its drinking prime but will likely continue to improve over the next 3-5 years.
2020 Sagrantino – This wine was a blend of Sagrantino (81%), Petit Verdot (13%), Montepulciano (3%), and Tannat (3%) with some appassimento used. We found the color to be medium ruby and the nose to be brambly black cherry. The nose was more pronounced than the 2019. A softer palate than the 2019, it still had big fruit notes and softer tannins. The wine was smooth and easy drinking with a bit more acid than the others. It would be a good food wine.
2022 Sagrantino – This wine was a blend of Sagrantino (79%), Petit Verdot (14%), Montepulciano (5%), and Tannat (1%) with 100% appassimento used. The color seemed to be darker than the 2020 vintage – a deep garnet. The pleasant nose gave dried black plums, some spice, and a hit of raisin. Big tannins and a lush palate with black cherry, black plum, and vanilla; this wine is young. If you have this one, hold it for another 3-5 years. While wonderful now, it will be fantastic down the road.
Il Falco NV – This wine is a current release (as of this writing) and is a blend of Sagrantino (50%), Petit Verdot (46%), and Montepulciano (4%) with 100% appassimento used for the Sagrantino and Petit Verdot. The color was dark and even. The nose was a bit muted with some brambly notes along with a bit of earthiness. A fruity palate and good tannins, this wine is nicely balanced. Jammy, dark, and tannic qualities are found in this wine. Enjoy now, or cellar for a few years for an even better wine.
Final Notes
Sagrantino shows promise a red varietal that is decently suited to the hot, humid climate of North Carolina. It produces age-worthy wines with pronounced fruits and tannins and would be a perfect pairing with for red meats or earthy umami rich vegetarian dishes.
Of the tasting line up, the 2015, 2019, and 2022 were the equal favorites of the group.
What are your thoughts on Sagrantino? Are you familiar with this variety? If not, seek it out! Cheers!
