Secret
of Sagrantino
August 2001
Tucked away in the verdant hills of central Italy is the picturesque
town of Montefalco - ground zero for Sagrantino. Until recently, this
delicious wine was not often found outside Umbria, its home region.
Now Sagrantino
di Montefalco has become an elusive cult favorite among American
oenophiles (who admire the best examples' perfect balancing act between
rough-edged tannins and sun-baked, plum fruitiness). In Waltham, Massachusetts,
the popular Il Capriccio's co-owner Jeannie Rogers says she stocks
Sagrantino whenever she can get her hands on it. "From the biggest
wine geek to the Cabernet-only kind of guy, everybody loves it."
One particularly ardent Sagrantino lover is Roberto Paris, the sommelier
of Manhattan's Il Buco. Paris showcases up to eight producers, among
them Caprai,
Colpetrone, Bea
and, my favorites, Antonelli and Antano. To find them for your own
cellar, you'll have to do a little detective work. On-line wine retailer
evineyard.com can help, or call New York's Italian
Wine Merchants at 212-473-2323. Prices range from $28 to $100
per bottle; you'll pay up to three times more in restaurants.
Alice Feiring
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