If you like this, try…
Wines like Sagrantino
Umbria’s ferociously tannic variety, with among the highest measured tannin levels of any wine grape. Below: what to try next, grouped by the direction you want to travel.
Refine
What do you like about Sagrantino?
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.
- The touch of sweetness
- Actual sugar left in the wine, which is a different thing from tasting fruity. A wine can smell of ripe peach and be completely dry.
Looking for something keeping the firm tannic structure, while moving away from too heavy and too earthy or musty.
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.
Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Has some of the firm tannic structure, though less of it.
- Substantially less heavy.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Has some of the firm tannic structure, though less of it.
- Substantially less heavy.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Has some of the firm tannic structure, though less of it.
- Substantially less heavy.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
Rosso di Montalcino
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
- Has some of the firm tannic structure, though less of it.
- Substantially less heavy.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
Refosco
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
- Has some of the firm tannic structure, though less of it.
- Substantially less heavy.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
Nero di Troia
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
- Has some of the firm tannic structure, though less of it.
- Substantially less heavy.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
Touriga Franca
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Has some of the firm tannic structure, though less of it.
- Substantially less heavy.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Has some of the firm tannic structure, though less of it.
- Substantially less heavy.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
Closest overall
Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.
Closest matches
The nearest overall neighbours across structure and flavour, with no deliberate change of direction.
Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and drier.
Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Rosso di Montalcino
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.
Different grape, similar feel
Deliberately excludes the variety you already know, to find a genuinely new wine that fills the same role.
Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and drier.
Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Rosso di Montalcino
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.
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.
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 less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Refosco
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.
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.
Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
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 less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Refosco
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.
Similar but fuller
Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.
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.
Touriga Nacional
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Petit Verdot
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Similar but less tannic
For readers who find firm reds drying. Reduces tannic grip while holding flavour and weight roughly steady.
Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Touriga Franca
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Similar but fresher
Raises acidity and overall lift, usually by moving to a cooler-climate expression.
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 less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Refosco
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.
Baga
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and drier.
Bairrada Baga
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and drier.
Similar but softer
Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.
Malbec
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
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 cleaner and more fruit-focused.
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 cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Toro
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
The sparkling version
Moves to a sparkling expression while holding the flavour and weight as close as possible.
Sparkling Shiraz
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Lambrusco Grasparossa
Both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and lighter.
Lambrusco
Both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and lighter.
Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be stiller, and less tannic and softer.
Similar but drier
Reduces perceptible sugar while keeping aromatic character.
Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and drier.
Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Rosso di Montalcino
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.
Similar but sweeter
Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.
Vintage Port
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Ruby Port
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Port
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and less tannic and softer.
Tawny Port
Tawny Port scores closest to Sagrantino across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
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.
Refosco
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.
Nero di Troia
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.
Bobal
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Cornalin
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Similar but more oaky
Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.
Super Tuscan
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and less tannic and softer.
Pinotage
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and earthier.
Rioja
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and earthier.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Similar but more aromatic
More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.
Malbec
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Nebbiolo
curatedA comparably tannic, ageworthy Italian red.
Expect: Paler, more perfumed and higher in acid.
Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and drier.
Barbaresco
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and drier.
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.
Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Rosso di Montalcino
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.
Refosco
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.
Similar but more floral
Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.
Malbec
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Touriga Franca
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Nebbiolo
curatedA comparably tannic, ageworthy Italian red.
Expect: Paler, more perfumed and higher in acid.
Argentine Cabernet Franc
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Similar but more savoury
Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.
Taurasi
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and drier.
Barolo
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and drier.
Naoussa Xinomavro
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and lighter.
Xinomavro
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and lighter.
Similar but fruitier
More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.
Touriga Nacional
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Toro
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Petite Sirah
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Change the place
Keep the grape, move it somewhere else.
Same grape, cooler climate
Typically fresher, lighter and more herbal, with lower alcohol.
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.
Same grape, warmer climate
Typically riper, fuller and more generous in fruit, with higher alcohol.
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.
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.
Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and drier.
Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Malbec
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Sangiovese
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 earthier.
Something more adventurous
Less familiar wines that occupy similar territory — the interesting end of the shelf.
Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Rosso di Montalcino
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.
Refosco
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.
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.
Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Rosso di Montalcino
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.
Refosco
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.
A step up
The benchmark expressions of the same territory, usually with more concentration, structure and ageing potential.
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.
Brunello di Montalcino
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and drier.
Barolo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and drier.
Nebbiolo
curatedA comparably tannic, ageworthy Italian red.
Expect: Paler, more perfumed and higher in acid.
Amarone della Valpolicella
Both come from the same country.
Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and less tannic and softer.
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.