Sagrantino is an Italian red grape I previously discussed in January of 2024. This grape is also used in the production of a dessert wine called Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG Passito which is made using the passito method of drying grapes on racks to concentrate the flavors and sugars. After harvesting, the grapes are placed in a single layer which allows air circulation and decreases the risk of fungal disease. After this, the healthiest grapes are selected and used in the production of wine. The crushed grapes are crushed and fermented for about 2 months. Fermentation is usually a temperature controlled process to prevent undesired flavors in the final wine. The producer of the wine I drank this week allows the fermentation to occur without temperature control. It is a slower process because of the sugar and acid content in the juice, which makes it difficult for yeast to survive. By law, the wine must age for a minimum of 30 months and contain at least 14% alcohol.
This week, I drank a 2010 Paolo Bea Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG Passito. The grapes for this wine were dried for 4 months, from October 2010 to February 2011. They were then allowed to ferment for 206 days. The wine was removed from the skins and allowed to age on the lees until January of 2012. There were a total of 2907 bottles of passito method wine produced by Paolo Bea in 2010. I tried this wine on multiple days this week to see how the flavors evolved. When I first opened this bottle, it was quite closed off. The next time I opened it, this medium tawny wine had aromas of raisin, dried fig, toffee and coffee. I decanted another glass and when I came back to it, aromas of dried tobacco leaves, leather and black pepper developed. This sweet wine has a full body, high alcohol and light silky tannins. A lot of the tannins that were in the wine had precipitated out into sediment at the bottom of the bottle. The sweetness is balanced by a significant level of acid. The dried fruit flavors are concentrated on the palate and extend on the long finish. This wine is delicious paired with blue cheese as an aperitif or light dessert.
-TheLooseTannin
A Trip Around the World of Wine in 52 Weeks 