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.
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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 keeping the savoury, non-fruity character and the firm tannic structure, while moving away from too oaky or woody.
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.
Negroamaro
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
- Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.
- Keeps the firm tannic structure.
- A little less oaky or woody.
Rosso di Montalcino
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
- Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.
- Keeps the firm tannic structure.
- A little less oaky or woody.
Langhe Nebbiolo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
- Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.
- Keeps the firm tannic structure.
- A little less oaky or woody.
Carignan
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.
- Keeps the firm tannic structure.
- A little less oaky or woody.
Etna Rosso
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
- Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.
- Keeps the firm tannic structure.
- A little less oaky or woody.
Nerello Mascalese
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
- Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.
- Keeps the firm tannic structure.
- A little less oaky or woody.
Cahors
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.
- Keeps the firm tannic structure.
- A little less oaky or woody.
Dão
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.
- Keeps the firm tannic structure.
- A little less oaky or woody.
Closest overall
Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.
Closest matches
The nearest overall neighbours across structure and flavour, with no deliberate change of direction.
Negroamaro
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 rounder and creamier in texture.
Rosso di Montalcino
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 cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Langhe Nebbiolo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and fresher and more acidic.
Carignan
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit.
Different grape, similar feel
Deliberately excludes the variety you already know, to find a genuinely new wine that fills the same role.
Negroamaro
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 rounder and creamier in texture.
Rosso di Montalcino
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 cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Langhe Nebbiolo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and fresher and more acidic.
Carignan
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit.
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.
Dolcetto
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.
Langhe Nebbiolo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and fresher and more acidic.
Etna Rosso
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and more floral.
Nerello Mascalese
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and more floral.
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.
Cru Beaujolais
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and more fruit-driven.
Loire Cabernet Franc
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and more fruit-driven.
Cerasuolo di Vittoria
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less tannic and softer.
Cabernet Franc
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and more fruit-driven.
Similar but fuller
Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and fruitier.
Uruguayan Tannat
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and spicier.
Douro red
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and spicier.
Amarone della Valpolicella
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and more oaky.
Similar but less tannic
For readers who find firm reds drying. Reduces tannic grip while holding flavour and weight roughly steady.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
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 fruit-driven.
Montepulciano
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 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 less tannic and softer, and more restrained in fruit.
Valpolicella Ripasso
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 spicier.
Similar but more structured
More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.
Montefalco Sagrantino
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 oaky.
Sagrantino
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 oaky.
Tannat
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and more oaky.
Barbaresco
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 oaky.
Similar but fresher
Raises acidity and overall lift, usually by moving to a cooler-climate expression.
Etna Rosso
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and more floral.
Langhe Nebbiolo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and lighter.
Nerello Mascalese
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and more floral.
Rosso di Montalcino
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 cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Similar but softer
Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.
Languedoc red
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and more herbal and green.
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 more fruit-driven, and less tannic and softer.
Montepulciano
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 less tannic and softer.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and fruitier.
The sparkling version
Moves to a sparkling expression while holding the flavour and weight as close as possible.
Lambrusco
Both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less oaky.
Lambrusco Grasparossa
Both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less oaky.
Sparkling Shiraz
Sparkling Shiraz scores closest to Lagrein across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and more oaky.
Negroamaro
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be stiller, and broader and softer.
Similar but sweeter
Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.
Saperavi
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and fresher and more acidic.
Sagrantino
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 oaky.
Tinto Cão
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less oaky.
Montefalco Sagrantino
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and more 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.
Negroamaro
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 rounder and creamier in texture.
Rosso di Montalcino
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 cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Langhe Nebbiolo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and fresher and more acidic.
Etna Rosso
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and more floral.
Similar but more oaky
Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.
Ribera del Duero
Ribera del Duero scores closest to Lagrein across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and spicier.
Rioja
Rioja scores closest to Lagrein across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and spicier.
Rioja Reserva
Rioja Reserva scores closest to Lagrein across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and spicier.
Tempranillo
Tempranillo scores closest to Lagrein across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and spicier.
Similar but more aromatic
More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.
Barbaresco
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 oaky.
Cabernet Franc
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and more fruit-driven.
Syrah
curatedComparable dark fruit and savoury structure at a lighter weight.
Expect: Fuller and more peppery.
Nebbiolo
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 oaky.
Similar but more restrained
For readers who find intensely aromatic wines tiring over a whole glass. Keeps the structure, turns the volume down.
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.
Negroamaro
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and broader and softer.
Rosso di Montalcino
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and more herbal and green.
Carignan
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and more aromatic.
Dolcetto
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 more aromatic.
Similar but more floral
Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.
Langhe Nebbiolo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and more neutral and subtle.
Etna Rosso
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and more neutral and subtle.
Nerello Mascalese
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and more neutral and subtle.
Cahors
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and more neutral and subtle.
Similar but more savoury
Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.
Chianti Classico Riserva
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more oaky.
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 savoury, and more oaky.
Naoussa Xinomavro
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more tannic and structured.
Xinomavro
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more tannic and structured.
Similar but fruitier
More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and fruitier.
Toro
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more tannic and structured.
Washington Cabernet Sauvignon
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more oaky.
McLaren Vale Shiraz
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more oaky.
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.
Chianti
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 more restrained in fruit.
Chianti Classico
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more restrained in fruit.
Syrah
curatedComparable dark fruit and savoury structure at a lighter weight.
Expect: Fuller and more peppery.
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 more fruit-driven, and less tannic and softer.
Something more adventurous
Less familiar wines that occupy similar territory — the interesting end of the shelf.
Negroamaro
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 rounder and creamier in texture.
Rosso di Montalcino
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 cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Langhe Nebbiolo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and fresher and more acidic.
Carignan
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit.
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.
Negroamaro
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 rounder and creamier in texture.
Rosso di Montalcino
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 cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Langhe Nebbiolo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and fresher and more acidic.
Carignan
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit.
A step up
The benchmark expressions of the same territory, usually with more concentration, structure and ageing potential.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and fruitier.
Amarone della Valpolicella
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be spicier, and more oaky.
Priorat
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and more oaky.
Ribera del Duero
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and spicier.
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.