2021 Sagrantino

The Noble vineyard is quite a spot. A couple of acres of Sagrantino on a rise of rock and red dirt looking across Knight’s Valley at Mt. Saint Helena. Some of the stones are so large that they were never moved, and the vines grow next to them – as if you were in an ancient Italian vineyard. The 2020 vintage is the first crop off of the Sagrantino planting, and it produced a delicate version of Sagrantino that caught me by surprise. It’s the most tannic wine grape in the world, so I tried limiting extraction. When you combine a light touch during fermentation with grapes from young vines, you end up with an elegant version of this varietal, somewhat outside the heavier, typical version. Heavy reds aren’t my thing, so I love this wine.

Despite the elegance I’m emphasizing, the 2020 Sagrantino has plenty of depth and length on the palate. Ample fruit up front, with a focused, savory character on the back. You could pair it with many of the classic dishes you would pair a Pinot Noir with, but also consider a nice cut of beef or heavier pasta.

The vineyard only produced one barrel – 26 cases in 2020. So get some of this unique, fantastic Sagrantino while you can!