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Sagrantino: Montefalco Dry and Passito
We study Sagrantino of Umbria, considering both dry and passito styles. With two wines made from the same grape, think about where drying and fermentation diverge.
Questions for this course
Does it always taste equally sweet or dry even at 100% Sagrantino?
Before you start reading, briefly jot down your thoughts. You will rephrase them at the end.
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To explanation task notes ↓Sagrantino / Learn by grape
Update date: 2026-09-24
Montefalco's black varieties
Sagrantino is a black grape connected to Montefalco and the surrounding hills. Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG is made from 100% Sagrantino. The Consorzio highlights the intensity of flavor and need for maturation, providing a viewpoint beyond just assessing the wine when young.
The same varieties are used in passito.
Montefalco Sagrantino Passito DOCG is also made from 100% Sagrantino. Selected bunches are dried on racks for at least two months before fermentation with the skins. The two types are not distinguished by grape variety, but by the post-harvest treatment of the grapes.
Perceive sweetness and astringency separately
Passito is sweet, but also shares the mouthfeel of red wines. Sweetness and the astringency that tightens the palate are not measured on the same scale. When comparing dry wines and passito, record the sweetness due to residual sugar and the red wine mouthfeel from skin fermentation separately.
What to align and what to compare.
Raw material
- Conditions to standardize
- Sagrantino
- Conditions for comparison.
- 100% Sagrantino / 100% Sagrantino
- Additional points to confirm
- Did you explain the shared raw material?
Post-harvest characteristics.
- Conditions to standardize
- Sagrantino
- Conditions for comparison.
- Vinified as a dry red / Grapes dried in the shade for at least 2 months
- Additional points to confirm
- Did you separate drying and maturation?
Tasting criteria
- Conditions to standardize
- Sagrantino
- Conditions for comparison.
- Acidity · Astringency · Aging / Sweetness · Acidity · Astringency · Aging
- Additional points to confirm
- Did you record sweetness and astringency separately?
Order of reading and key points to consider in each article
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READ · HYPOTHESIZE · RECONSIDER
Sagrantino Document Analysis: Montefalco Dry and Passito
The document below organizes learning material based on the sources listed at the end. Before answering the questions, make sure you understand what is being compared between the two columns.
This is a summary of regions, grape varieties, and methods as confirmed in the source. Where specific products or vintages are referenced, the target is clearly stated.
| Items for Comparison | Dry Montefalco Sagrantino | Passito |
|---|---|---|
| Raw material | 100% Sagrantino | 100% Sagrantino |
| Post-harvest characteristics. | Vinified as a dry red | At least 2 months air-drying of bunches |
| Tasting criteria | Acidity · Astringency · Aging | Sweetness, acidity, astringency, aging |
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Read the explanation for each question
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What is the raw material for passito?
The Consorzio indicates both dry and passito wines must be 100% Sagrantino. There’s no need to assume that sweet or dry styles come from different grape varieties. Starting from the same variety, compare how post-harvest processes and fermentation differ.
What does a period of at least two months mean?
Here, the two-month period refers to the minimum time spent drying the grape bunches on racks. This is different from the aging period of wine in bottles or barrels. When reading the number of months, it is necessary to record together what is being processed, in what container or location, and at which stage.
How do you record the palate of sweet reds?
Sweetness is a sensation related to residual sugar, and is different from the astringency from tannins. Passito can also be a red wine fermented with skins, so do not explain the entire flavor profile only with sweetness. Recording acidity, astringency, and aromas from aging together makes comparison more concrete.
Basis and sources for the exercise
Practice exercises in comparison
The document below organizes learning material based on the sources listed at the end. Before answering the questions, make sure you understand what is being compared between the two columns.
Read examples of organizing comparisons
| Conditions for Comparison | Dry Montefalco Sagrantino | Passito |
|---|---|---|
| Raw material | 100% Sagrantino | 100% Sagrantino |
| Post-harvest characteristics. | Vinified as a dry red | At least 2 months air-drying of bunches |
| Tasting criteria | Acidity · Astringency · Aging | Sweetness, acidity, astringency, aging |
This is an organized study tool based on the designated articles for this course. You can check specific facts and sources in each article.
Explain in your own words
Explain the differences between dry Montefalco Sagrantino and Passito in terms of grape variety, region, and winemaking, listing the relevant conditions.
Check after writing
- Did you explain the shared raw material?
- Did you separate drying and maturation?
- Did you record sweetness and astringency separately?
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