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Wines like Montefalco Sagrantino

Umbria’s ferociously tannic red — among the highest measured tannin concentrations of any wine grape. Below: what to try next, grouped by the direction you want to travel.

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What do you like about Montefalco 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.

I like…

The firm, grippy structure How full and weighty it is The savoury, meaty side

But it’s a bit…

too jammy or sweet-tasting too drying or too tannic too heavy too oaky or woody too earthy or musty too savoury or funky

Clear all

What these words mean

The rich dark fruit: Blackberry, plum, black cherry — fruit that tastes ripe and generous rather than tart. It comes from warm-climate ripening and it is what most people mean when they call a red "fruity".
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.

Looking for something moving away from too savoury or funky, too earthy or musty, too oaky or woody and too jammy or sweet-tasting.

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.

Rosso di Montalcino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

About as savoury or funky as the wine you started from.
Substantially less earthy or musty.
A little less oaky or woody.
About as jammy or sweet-tasting as the wine you started from.

Carignan

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

About as savoury or funky as the wine you started from.
About as earthy or musty as the wine you started from.
A little less oaky or woody.
A little less jammy or sweet-tasting.

Madiran

curated

The two leading contenders for the most tannic dry red in commercial production.

About as savoury or funky as the wine you started from.
About as earthy or musty as the wine you started from.
About as oaky or woody as the wine you started from.
About as jammy or sweet-tasting as the wine you started from.

Chianti

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

About as savoury or funky as the wine you started from.
About as earthy or musty as the wine you started from.
A little less oaky or woody.
A little less jammy or sweet-tasting.

Dão

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

About as savoury or funky as the wine you started from.
About as earthy or musty as the wine you started from.
A little less oaky or woody.
A little less jammy or sweet-tasting.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

A little less savoury or funky.
Substantially less earthy or musty.
A little less oaky or woody.
More jammy or sweet-tasting, not less.

Montepulciano

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

A little less savoury or funky.
Substantially less earthy or musty.
A little less oaky or woody.
More jammy or sweet-tasting, not less.

Dolcetto

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

A little less savoury or funky.
Substantially less earthy or musty.
A little less oaky or woody.
More jammy or sweet-tasting, not less.

Closest overall

Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.

Closest matches

The nearest overall neighbours across structure and flavour, with no deliberate change of direction.

Rosso di Montalcino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Carignan

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and earthier.

Madiran

curated

The two leading contenders for the most tannic dry red in commercial production.

Expect: Lower acidity and a more south-west French savoury profile.

Chianti

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 earthier.

Different grape, similar feel

Deliberately excludes the variety you already know, to find a genuinely new wine that fills the same role.

Rosso di Montalcino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Carignan

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and earthier.

Chianti

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 earthier.

Dão

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and earthier.

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.

Chianti

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 earthier.

Dão

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and earthier.

Rosso di Montalcino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Dolcetto

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

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.

Tibouren

Tibouren scores closest to Montefalco Sagrantino across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less oaky.

Valpolicella

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Rosso di Montalcino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Molinara

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less oaky.

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.

Uruguayan Tannat

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Alicante Bouschet

Alicante Bouschet scores closest to Montefalco Sagrantino across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Toro

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

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 more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Montepulciano

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Bonarda

Bonarda scores closest to Montefalco Sagrantino across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Chianti

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 earthier.

Similar but fresher

Raises acidity and overall lift, usually by moving to a cooler-climate expression.

Rosso di Montalcino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, 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 fruit-driven, and earthier.

Valpolicella

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Molinara

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less oaky.

Similar but softer

Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Montepulciano

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Grenache

Grenache scores closest to Montefalco Sagrantino across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Tinta Barroca

Tinta Barroca scores closest to Montefalco Sagrantino across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less oaky.

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 Montefalco Sagrantino across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

English sparkling wine

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and more fruit-driven.

Similar but drier

Reduces perceptible sugar while keeping aromatic character.

Rosso di Montalcino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Carignan

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and earthier.

Chianti

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 earthier.

Dão

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and earthier.

Similar but sweeter

Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.

Tinto Cão

Tinto Cão scores closest to Montefalco Sagrantino across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less oaky.

Tinta Negra

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and fruitier.

Sagrantino

Both are made from sagrantino, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Tinta Barroca

Tinta Barroca scores closest to Montefalco Sagrantino across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, 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.

Rondinella

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more fruit-driven.

Colorino

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more fruit-driven.

Tibouren

Tibouren scores closest to Montefalco Sagrantino across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more fruit-driven.

Canaiolo

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more fruit-driven.

Similar but more oaky

Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.

Super Tuscan

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more fruit-driven.

Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and fruitier.

Rioja

Rioja scores closest to Montefalco Sagrantino across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and spicier.

Rioja Reserva

Rioja Reserva scores closest to Montefalco Sagrantino 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.

Cabernet Franc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and earthier.

Gamay

Gamay scores closest to Montefalco Sagrantino across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Barbaresco

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and more oaky.

Barolo

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and spicier.

Similar but more restrained

For readers who find intensely aromatic wines tiring over a whole glass. Keeps the structure, turns the volume down.

Rosso di Montalcino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Carignan

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and earthier.

Chianti

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 earthier.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Similar but more floral

Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.

Cabernet Franc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and earthier.

Gamay

Gamay scores closest to Montefalco Sagrantino across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Dão

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and earthier.

Canaiolo

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less oaky.

Similar but more savoury

Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.

Chianti Classico Riserva

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and more oaky.

Naoussa Xinomavro

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and more oaky.

Xinomavro

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and more oaky.

Taurasi

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and spicier.

Similar but fruitier

More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.

Toro

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Barbera d’Alba

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Washington Cabernet Sauvignon

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

McLaren Vale Shiraz

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Change the place

Keep the grape, move it somewhere else.

Same grape, cooler climate

Typically fresher, lighter and more herbal, with lower alcohol.

Sagrantino

Both are made from sagrantino, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Same grape, warmer climate

Typically riper, fuller and more generous in fruit, with higher alcohol.

Sagrantino

Both are made from sagrantino, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

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 more fruit-driven, and earthier.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Cabernet Franc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and earthier.

Chianti Classico

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and more fruit-driven.

Something more adventurous

Less familiar wines that occupy similar territory — the interesting end of the shelf.

Rosso di Montalcino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Carignan

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and earthier.

Madiran

curated

The two leading contenders for the most tannic dry red in commercial production.

Expect: Lower acidity and a more south-west French savoury profile.

Dão

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and earthier.

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.

Rosso di Montalcino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more fruit-driven.

Carignan

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and earthier.

Dão

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and earthier.

Montepulciano

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

A step up

The benchmark expressions of the same territory, usually with more concentration, structure and ageing potential.

Chianti

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 earthier.

Barolo

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be earthier, and spicier.

Amarone della Valpolicella

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and spicier.

Chianti Classico

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and more oaky.

How these are chosen

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.