The mighty Sagrantino might be the most noble and hearty red skinned Italian varietal you never heard of. Sagrantino, the other “S” varietal, has too long been overshadowed by the commercial success of Sangiovese in neighboring Tuscany. Its sanctum is in the southern Perugian Hills of Umbria. In 1992, Sagrantino di Montefalco was honored with the highest distinction of quality, the DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) sharing the same guaranteed quality standards of Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Barolo and Barbaresco to name a few.
Its origins are somewhat unknown, but many feel it is native to Montefalco and the surrounding area. The name may refer to the "Sacrament" and to when the Franciscans made sweet wine for religious rites. Historically the grape was cultivated into a sweet wine, but now it is the ‘dry’ version that is driving the Montefalco promotional campaign.
Our featured Sagrantino on the site is the 2003 Perticaia (VF$ 45). The success of the Perticaia estate is fueled by visionary, proprietor and winemaker, Guido Guardigli. He knows Sagrantino from his days making wines at Colpetrone and Scacciadiavoli, two noted Montefalco estates. He hired legendary enologist Lorenzo Landi to do initial consulting on his dream project. The property was a working farm that included grain fields and olive groves. Today, the estate has amassed 14 hectares of Sagrantino, Sangiovese, Colorino, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The Sagrantino thrives in the cool, deep, clayey-calcareous soils, which was the impetus for the site. Perticaia Sagrantino is now mentioned in the same terms of quality as Arnaldo Caprai, Paolo Bea, Adanti, Colpetrone and Scacciadiavoli.
Every varietal has a flavor and textural footprint, and with Sagrantino, it’s all about gritty natural tannins and notes of slightly bitter dried cherry. With proper clonal selection and yield maintenance, Sagrantino can be coaxed into a wine with immense mid-palate richness, followed by a super-dry finish that displays finesse and length. More affordable than most Super Tuscans and Brunelli, Sagrantino is an ideal case purchase for mid-term cellaring. I suggest cracking open a bottle for explorational purposes and decanting for a minimum of 60 to 75 minutes before serving. Grill up some NY Steak or Rib-eye and brace yourself for a gastronomical match made in heaven! Perticaia’s 2003 Sagrantino boasts a sensory overload of bitter cherry similar to Amarone. When properly decanted or aged for at least three to seven years, this effort can roll with some of the Tuscan big dawgs!
All this praise for Sagrantino di Montefalco doesn’t mean you need to scratch your budget on 2004 Tuscans (another blockbuster vintage for Montalcino Maremma & Bolgheri Coast). However, thinking outside of the box and venturing down the unknown wine road can have tremendous benefits. Contact Neil for more unsung heroes on the VF site at neil@vinfolio.com.
