Find a grape with a crazier history. Grown in the hills of Umbria since ancient times, Sagrantino was produced (as a passito) exclusively for the Catholic Church. No wonder young men joined the church in service - there was an ample supply of delicious Sagrantino to drink year round. If those bichiere could talk…… After being the sacramental wine for centuries, revered in the marble halls of the Vatican, Sagrantino became a secular wine as well and made its way into the world. Not too fast though apparently. There are only a handful of plantings of this amazing varietal in California. And, to copy from wikipedia - written records of Sagrantino begin in the 1500's, but Pliny the Elder wrote about a strong red wine from Montefalco - which would most likely be Sagrantino. So we're talking around AD 50 - the early days of winemaking to say the least!
Not only was it once the official sacramental wine, it is also one of the most tannic wine grapes in existence! Holding all sorts of titles…..
The Sagrantino made in Umbria today are known for big, really big tannins. The wines need serious aging and then decanting when opened. Our Sagrantino isn't made in this style. I take a light touch with it in winemaking to limit extraction. I think it's a more delicious varietal when made in a more restrained fashion - it has a unique fruit profile that really comes through when it's not competing with heavy tannins. Sagrantino likes a hot, dusty environment to get back to it's Umbrian roots. Knight's Valley is the warmest AVA in Sonoma County and our Sagrantino is able to ripen to perfection by October. No life is complete without tasting Sagrantino.
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