Best Sagrantino di Montefalco 2022 | A Montefalco 2026

The 12 Sagrantino 2022 presented in preview have an average of 93 points. It’s a high figure, but must be read with caution: the number of samples is limited and the selection doesn’t represent the entire denomination. Precisely for this reason, rather than photographing the vintage as a whole, the tasting shows the direction chosen by part of the territory.

The main signal is the pursuit of a Sagrantino more readable already in youth. Antonelli 2022, rated 94 points, is described as a wine surprisingly focused on drinkability for a preview, with open fruit, fairly ready tannins, and less glyceric-alcoholic weight. Bocale 2022, at 96 points, stands out for ripe fruit, deliciousness, and tannins in the integration phase. Arnaldo Caprai confirms the weight of its range, with “25 Anni” 2022 at 95 points, “Collepiano” 2022 at 94, and “Valdimaggio” 2022 at 92.

The nature of the grape variety remains evident nonetheless. Even in the best samples the tannins are lively, dense, sometimes aggressive or drying. Some wines need time; others already seem oriented toward more immediate and contemporary enjoyment. Perhaps this is where Sagrantino’s future is at stake: not in renouncing its structure, but in the ability to make it more precise, less off-putting, and more consistent with today’s market.

And if a comparison with foreign wines can be made, it is to be found in the work of Rhône producers, much more than those of Bordeaux or any other Italian region. In a well-organized blind tasting, the best contemporary expressions of Sagrantino di Montefalco could be “confused” with the legendary Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Even as single-varietals, especially regarding Syrah.