If you like this, try…
Wines like Lagrein
An Alpine Italian variety producing dark, firm, savoury reds in Alto Adige. Below: what to try next, grouped by the direction you want to travel.
Refine
What do you like about Lagrein?
Optional — the results below already work without it. But “I like Malbec” is at least four different preferences wearing one name, and saying which one you mean changes the answer substantially. Only qualities this wine actually has are offered.
What these words mean
- The firm, grippy structure
- High tannin — the drying grip on your gums, like over-brewed tea. It gives a red something to hold on to with rich food, and it is what lets a wine age.
- How full and weighty it is
- Body is how much the wine seems to fill your mouth — the difference between skimmed and whole milk. It comes mostly from alcohol and ripeness.
- The vanilla and oak
- Vanilla, toast, coconut, sweet spice, sometimes smoke. It comes from the barrel rather than the grape, which is why the same grape can taste completely different with and without it.
- The savoury, meaty side
- Leather, olive, cured meat, dried herbs, tobacco. It is what people mean by calling a wine "serious" rather than "fruity", and it comes with age as well as with place.
- The earthy, mineral side
- Forest floor, wet stone, mushroom, damp earth. Widely described and much less well explained than wine writing implies — the sensation is real, the causal story usually is not.
- That it is properly dry
- No perceptible sugar at all. Almost all red wine is dry and a good deal of white wine is not, which is why this is a more useful thing to say about a white than about a red.
Looking for something moving away from too drying or too tannic.
Based on what you said
Ranked against the qualities you named rather than against the wine as a whole. The directions below are refined the same way.
Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Barbera d’Asti
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Morgon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Chilean Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Spätburgunder (German Pinot Noir)
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Corvina
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Australian Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Nero d’Avola
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Closest overall
Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.
Closest matches
The nearest overall neighbours across structure and flavour, with no deliberate change of direction.
Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter.
Barbera d’Asti
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Morgon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and less oaky.
Chilean Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.
Different grape, similar feel
Deliberately excludes the variety you already know, to find a genuinely new wine that fills the same role.
Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter.
Barbera d’Asti
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Morgon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and less oaky.
Chilean Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.
Change the structure
Same idea, different weight, grip or freshness.
Similar but lighter
Keeps the character but reduces weight, alcohol and density in the mouth.
Cru Beaujolais
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and fresher.
País
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and lighter.
Spätburgunder (German Pinot Noir)
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more floral.
Valpolicella
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and lighter.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Holds the character and the weight where it can, and moves specifically on strength. Note that below about 11% the choices narrow sharply, and below 5% they are mostly a different category rather than a lighter version of the same one.
English still Pinot Noir
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and lighter.
Cru Beaujolais
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and lighter.
Valpolicella
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and lighter.
Red Burgundy
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and more floral.
Similar but fuller
Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.
Primitivo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and broader and softer.
Argentine Malbec
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and spicier.
Ribera del Duero
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and spicier.
Uruguayan Tannat
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and spicier.
Similar but less tannic
For readers who find firm reds drying. Reduces tannic grip while holding flavour and weight roughly steady.
Barbera d’Alba
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Nero d’Avola
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and more fruit-driven.
Montepulciano
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and more fruit-driven.
Similar but more structured
More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.
Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.
Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter.
Corvina
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Nero d’Avola
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and more fruit-driven.
Similar but fresher
Raises acidity and overall lift, usually by moving to a cooler-climate expression.
Barbera
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Barbera d’Asti
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Chianti
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more herbal and green, and lighter.
Oregon Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and lighter.
Similar but softer
Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.
Agiorgitiko
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Alentejo red
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Merlot
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and more fruit-driven.
Montepulciano
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and more fruit-driven.
The sparkling version
Moves to a sparkling expression while holding the flavour and weight as close as possible.
Sparkling Shiraz
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more fruit-driven.
Lambrusco
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be stiller, and less oaky.
Lambrusco Grasparossa
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be stiller, and sweeter.
English sparkling rosé
English sparkling rosé scores closest to Lagrein across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and more sparkling.
Similar but sweeter
Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.
Tinta Negra
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and sweeter.
Corvina
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Valpolicella Ripasso
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Tinta Barroca
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and less oaky.
Change the flavour
Same shape, different aromatic character.
Similar but less oaky
One of the commonest requests in wine. Strips oak influence while holding grape character and weight.
Castelão
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and lighter.
Ciliegiolo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Cinsault
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and lighter.
Corvinone
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Similar but more oaky
Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.
Rioja Gran Reserva
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and less oaky.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more fruit-driven.
Rioja
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Ribera del Duero
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less oaky.
Similar but more aromatic
More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.
Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and lighter.
Gamay
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and more fruit-driven.
Cabernet Franc
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more herbal and green, and lighter.
Morgon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and less floral.
Similar but more restrained
For readers who find intensely aromatic wines tiring over a whole glass. Keeps the structure, turns the volume down.
Koshu
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and lighter.
Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and lighter.
Barbera d’Asti
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and more aromatic.
Barbera
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and more aromatic.
Similar but more floral
Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.
Cabernet Franc
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more herbal and green, and lighter.
Gamay
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and more fruit-driven.
Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and lighter.
Spätburgunder (German Pinot Noir)
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and lighter.
Similar but more savoury
Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.
Rioja Gran Reserva
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and more oaky.
Chianti Classico Riserva
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and more herbal and green.
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and fresher and more acidic.
Northern Rhône Syrah
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and spicier.
Similar but fruitier
More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.
Barbera d’Alba
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
California Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and rounder and creamier in texture.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be broader and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Primitivo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be broader and softer, and spicier.
Change the mood
Safer, stranger, cheaper or more serious.
A safe next step
Well-known wines that are widely available and unlikely to surprise anyone.
Barbera
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and more fruit-driven.
Chianti
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more herbal and green, and fresher and more acidic.
California Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and fruitier.
Something more adventurous
Less familiar wines that occupy similar territory — the interesting end of the shelf.
Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter.
Barbera d’Asti
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Morgon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and less oaky.
Chilean Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.
A better-value alternative
Wines that occupy similar sensory territory from regions carrying less price premium. WineHQ does not hold live prices, so this reasons from regional reputation and demand rather than from a price feed — treat it as a lead, not a quote.
Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter.
Barbera d’Asti
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Morgon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and less oaky.
Chilean Pinot Noir
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be lighter, and less oaky.
A step up
The benchmark expressions of the same territory, usually with more concentration, structure and ageing potential.
Ribera del Duero
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and fuller and richer.
Amarone della Valpolicella
Both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and spicier.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Châteauneuf-du-Pape scores closest to Lagrein across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and more herbal and green.
Rioja Gran Reserva
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and more oaky.
Each suggestion is scored across sixteen taste dimensions, weighted so that structure matters more than flavour, and adjusted for whether the wine actually moves in the direction you asked for. Curated links from an editor carry extra weight — but only when the editor tagged them for this direction. Nothing here is a black box; see the taste model for the full method.