Sagrantino is one of the most interesting Italian red wine varieties used in Australia. A growing number of Australian winemakers are using this variety to make delicious wines with fruity, spicy flavours and fine structure.

Starting in the 1990s the passion for Italian wines, first by grape growers and winemakers and finally consumers was mainly about Sangiovese. Now Australians are busy trying the myriad of other Italian varieties, both as imported wines and as locally produced wines.

Sagrantino has been a little slower to catch on than some other Italian reds. It is probably best suited to mild to cooler regions.

Sagrantino will prove to have a great future in Australia. McLaren Vale – as with so many other ‘alternative varieties’ – seems to be taking the bull by the horns. Argument to say that McLaren Vale is Australia’s most progressive region. Hulking tannin. Rustic aroma and flavour. Tar and violets, ferrous elements and spice. Excellent intensity but if you’re tannin averse – one sip of this and you’ll run screaming from the room. Sagrantino wines, like other Italian reds, can be little too acid and tannic for some Australian palates, especially if they are not accompanied by food.

One food specialty is - hams, cured and smoked meats and sausages made from pork and wild boar (cinghiale). As well as a meaty antipasto, Sagrantino is ideal as an accompaniment to pasta with a meat based ragu, or perhaps a sharp cheese.

Some of the Australian wineries that make the Sagrantino wine are:

Amadio - Adelaide Hills, Andrew Peace Wines - Swan Hill, Angullong Wines -Orange, Aphelion McLaren Vale, Chalmers - Heathcote, Chrismont - King Valley,Coriole - McLaren Vale,D'Arenberg - McLaren Vale, Domain Day - Barossa Valley, Five O’Clock Project - McLaren Vale, Golden Ball - Beechworth, Gracebrook Vineyards  - King Valley, Heathvale - Eden Valley,King River Estate - King Valley, Koltz - McLaren Vale, Lethbridge Wines - Geelong, Mitolo - McLaren Vale, Montevecchio -Heathcote, Olivers Taranga - McLaren Vale, Pizzini Wines - King Valley,Preston Peak Granite Belt, Quarry Hill Wines Canberra, Sassafras Canberra, Savaterre Beechworth, Sons of Eden Barossa Valley,Tallavera Grove Winery - Hunter Valley, Terra Felix Upper - Goulburn, View Road Wines - Adelaide Hills