Get this. In Montefalco, producers actually use Sangiovese to soften Sagrantino, their signature grape. Remember, white grapes were used to soften the structured Sangiovese in the 19th century in the original Chianti recipe. That tells you pretty much all you need to know about Sagrantino, a grape that’s been described as the most tannic in Italy. Well, if ever a DOCG needed a Rosso version, it’s Sagrantino. And the firmly structured Sangiovese does, indeed, soften the Sagrantino, which makes the Rosso di Montefalco, a blend which must contain 60 to 80 percent of Sangiovese, easy to drink. But the star of the show here remains Sagrantino di Montefalco—and for good reason.
Montefalco, a “hill town” like other Tuscan ones, Montalcino or Montepulciano, sits at an elevation of 1,500 feet above sea level, about two hours northeast of Rome in Umbria. Your ears pop as you ascend to it from the plains. As the evening temperature drops—roughly 10 degrees cooler than Rome’s—cooling breezes pick up.
Fillipo Antonelli has a good perspective on Sagrantino’s evolution since his family has been there “since the beginning.” The estate, founded by his great grandfather in 1883, really came to life in 1979 when Montefalco received its DOC designation as an official wine appellation. He explains how “Sagrantino has structure—there’s no denying that—but year after year, it is becoming more approachable and less rustic.” He ascribes the improvement to the age of better vines—much of the area was replanted in the 1990s—and better viticultural practices. Producers have learned to taste the grapes to determine when the tannins are ripe, not astringent. He emphasizes that “the grapes need time to ripen fully.” The additional time to ripen the tannins brings with it higher sugar levels, which explains why the stated alcohol is rarely under 15 percent. “It’s hard to harvest Sagrantino early,” Antonelli adds. “If it says 15 percent, it’s likely at least 15.5 percent in reality.” European regulations allow 0.5 percent leeway in labeling. More than one producer confirmed Antonelli’s assessment.
Cocco Illaria, winemaker and owner of the eponymous estate, explains, “It’s hard to control the alcohol—so I usually harvest a little earlier to capture fruity aromas.” She adds that the problem with harvesting earlier is the risk of obtaining underripe grapes, which contain green, astringent tannins. She notes with a sense of frustration that the heat of the last few years—climate change—has made it harder to control the alcohol.
Lorenzo Gubbini, a representative of Perticaia, another top producer, explains that their harvesters make multiple passes through the vineyard, to select only the fully ripe bunches. Thanks to this labor-intense practice they minimize—or eliminate—even slightly underripe grapes that would otherwise impart green, astringent tannins to the wine. The suave tannins of a barrel sample of their stellar 2020 show that their system works.
The particular characteristics of the grape helps explain its tannic structure, according to Antonelli. Juice comprises only about 60 percent of the total volume of the grape compared to the usual ratio of 70 percent for more other varieties because Sagrantino has small bunches of small berries with lots of seeds, which contain those tannins. Lorenzo Mattoni, former director of the excellent co-op, Terre de Trinci, explains that they decant the wine during fermentation, remove the seeds, and return the wine to the fermenting tank in their attempt to soften the tannins.
Guglielmo Pongelli, who represents the 16th generation of the family that owns the very fine Tenuta di Saragano, sums it up succinctly, “With (Montefalco) Sagrantino you need to like high alcohol and be prepared for it.”
The grape’s origin is uncertain, despite claims by producers that it’s been planted in the area for millennia. What is certain is that Sagrantino was originally made into a sweet wine, like Amarone, using air-dried grapes. Indeed, the region received the DOC for the sweet version (called passito) in 1997, two years before the dry version that represents 95 percent of the region’s current production. It’s sad that the passito version has fallen out of favor because the sugar balances the tannins and makes it a lovely choice at the end of a meal, either with cheese or by itself. Both the passito and the dry versions were elevated DOCG status in 1992.
So, does Sagrantino di Montefalco still have a place in an era that seems to be moving towards lighter, lower alcohol, more restrained wine? Indeed, it does. Given the success of California wines weighing in at 15 percent stated alcohol and more, it appears that plenty of consumers still gravitate toward powerful reds, especially in the winter. Some foods or situations call for well-crafted wines replete with tannic structure. Think garlic infused leg of lamb, BBQed ribs, especially those with a bit of spice. The robust Sagrantino with its abundance of alcohol, fruitiness, and balancing grip is a perfect foil for that combination. And with adequate bottle age, the tannins melt—OK, maybe soften—to tame the gentle monster.
Regulations require Montefalco Sagrantino to be aged for a minimum of just over 3 years. That, coupled with the time it takes to get the wine onto retailers’ shelves, explains why the current ones available are mostly from the 2019 vintage or earlier.
Here are some Montefalco Sagrantino that I recommend highly. Prices are from Wine-Searcher.com, n/a indicates that the wine is not available, according to them.
In addition to Antonelli’s tannic yet suavely textured and approachable—for Sagrantino—2019 Montefalco Sagrantino (92 points, $43), they produce two single vineyard bottlings that show the diversity of the terroir. That, combined with producer style, illuminates the wide range of Montefalco Sagrantino consumers will encounter. The only constant will be the tannins. Antonelli’s plump 2019 “Chiusa di Pannone” (93 pts., $62) shows the fruitier side of the appellation while the sleeker “Molino dell’Attone” (95 pts., $73) focuses on Sagrantino’s more mineral side. All three of Antonelli’s Montefalco Sagrantino lead with a delectable floral component and finish with an intense yet smooth tannic structure.
Unsurprisingly, Lungarotti, Umbria’s most famous producer thanks to their iconic wines from Torgiano, seems to have found the secret—glossy tannins at a lower alcohol. They fashioned a powerful, yet graceful 2020 Montefalco Sagrantino (95 pts., $53) from organic grapes that weighs in at a modest, for Sagrantino, 14.5 percent stated alcohol.
Speaking of her suavely textured 2017 Montefalco Sagrantino “Phonsano,” (93 pts., n/a) Cocco Ilaria explains that she harvested early, October 10, because the summer was so hot. The result: great aromatics, plenty of minerals and black fruitiness atop fine tannins. And all of that with a stated alcohol of 14.0 percent.
Despite its 15.5 percent stated alcohol, the 2019 Valdanguis Montefalco Sagrantino, “Fortunato,” (93 pts., n/a) surrounds its violet-perfumed black fruitiness with fine, suave tannins.
At a stated alcohol of “only” 15.0 percent, Tenute Lunelli’s poised and still youthful 2017 Montefalco Sagrantino, “Carapace Lunga Attesa,” (94 pts., $54) manages to combinate succulent, juicy black fruitiness with finely polished tannins.
Perticaia’s refined 2018 Montefalco Sagrantino (95 pts., $45) shows that what happens in the winery can also produce suave tannins. The Becca family purchased the estate just after the 2018 harvest, which means they vinified the grapes that were not subject to their system of successive passes through the vineyard. Nonetheless, through what must have been a severe selection or very gentle handling in the winery, Perticaia’s lush 2018, weighing in at a stated 15.5 percent alcohol, combines gorgeous aromatics with minerals, all supported harmoniously by incredibly fine, even velvety, tannins.
Terre de Trinci’s technique of removing seeds during fermentation has tamed the tannins in their powerful 2018 Montefalco Sagrantino, “Ugolino,” (92 pts., n/a) which comes from 70-year-old vines located in the small (5-acre) prized section of a single vineyard. This juicy and fresh Sagrantino delivers engaging savory nuances that balance its dominant black fruitiness.
Arnaldo Caprai’s use of vinification intégrale, a technique in which fermentation and aging occurs entirely within the barrel, also shows how novel winemaking practices can tame the tannins of Montefalco Sagrantino. With this technique, the barrels are rolled gently to achieve a lighter extraction (without utilizing pumping over of juice onto grape solids or punching down a “cap” of solids into the juice on which it would float in a vertical tank). Their 2021 Montefalco Sagrantino labeled “25 Anni,” (95 pts., $114) a selection of top grapes, has seamless integration of oak, fine tannins, and aromatic black fruitiness.
Tenuta Alzatura’s 2005 and Perticaia’s 2004 Montefalco Sagrantino show the benefit of extended bottle aging. The former’s plumy fruit combined with suave tannins make their Sagrantino sing. Giuseppe Paolicelli, the knowledgeable and amicable sommelier at Enoteca L’Alchimista, the don’t-miss restaurant in Montefalco, suggested the latter to accompany our dinner of white ragu of beef and pork atop a feathery fettucine followed by a sumptuous and elegantly prepared roast pigeon. The power and suaveness of the well-aged Sagrantino shows why it’s worthwhile to make room in your cellar for these wines.
But even 10 years of bottle age show an amazing transformation. The tannins are still present—it is Sagrantino—in Arnaldo Caprai’s harmonious and powerful 2015 “25 Anni,” the year first their vinification intégrale, but they are finely honed, allowing the gorgeous aromatics and dark fruit to shine.
The message here is that while alcohol and tannins will—and should—always be an integral part of Montefalco Sagrantino, producers are polishing the wines to fit a modern age. The wines are all the better for it, too!
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E-mail me your thoughts about Montefalco Sagrantino at Michael.Apstein1@gmail.com and follow me on Instagram @MichaelApstein
July 2, 2025