Lagrein (Italy)
Lagrein is a red wine grape from Trentino - Alto Adige in North East Italy.
Flavors
 Blackberry |
 Blueberry |
 Cherry |
 Bitter Cherry |
 Herbs |
 Mint |
 Thyme |
 Tomato Leaves |
Oak added Flavors:
 Oak |
 Coffee |
 Chocolate |
 Stone |
Dark berry flavors are typical for Lagrein, with hints of Fresh Herbs and Chocolate.
Profile
Lagrein tastes like a Merlot with more tannins and body:
| BODY | Medium - Full | ||
| TANNINS | Medium - High | ||
| FRUIT | Medium | ||
| ACIDITY | Medium Plus | ||
| |||
Lagrein is often blended with less tannic wines or aged in barrels to smooth tannins.
Food Pairing
 Antipasti |
 Ham |
 Hamburger |
 Soups |
 Pasta |
 Mushroom |
 Pizza |
 Chicken |
 Pork |
 Lamb |
 Veal |
 Game |
Lagrein has an Acidic structure that pairs best with Medium bodied or Acidic food.
Pairing Suggestions
Excellent Pairing:
Fat Fish. Tuna. Salmon.
Pasta Carbonara. Lasagne.
Chicken. Pork. Lamb.
Veal. Osso Buco.
Venison. Game. Red Meat.
Cheese:
Mature Cheeses. Gouda. Goat. Grana Padano. Roquefort.
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The Ideal Glass
The Bordeaux glass is perfect for medium to full bodied red wines.
It is taller than other red wine glasses, and has a slimmer bowl.
The large size of the glass allows the fruit bouquet to develop. It smooths out rough edges, plays down tannins, and allows the wines to achieve balance.
The slimmer bowl sends the wine directly to the back of the mouth for maximum taste.
About
The grape is very dark, similar to Syrah and Teroldego.
Locally blended with Schiava, Teroldego, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.
Lagrein is a great alternative to full-bodied wines like those made from Cabernet Sauvignon.
The best examples can be aged for several years, although they are best drunk within a
few years from harvest.
Apart from Trentino-Alto Adige, Lagrein is planted in Australia and California.
Trentino-Alto Adige
Trentino-Alto Adige is located in northern Italy. The capital is Trento.
Red Wines:
Schiava
Lagrein
Pinot Nero
Teroldego
Merlot
White Wines:
Pinot Grigio
Gewürztraminer
Chardonnay
Pinot Bianco
Sauvignon Blanc
Kerner
Müller-Thurgau
Silvaner
Rosé Wines:
Primary Grapes:
15% Pinot Grigio
10% Chardonnay
8% Pinot Nero
7% Lagrein
6% Gewürztraminer
6% Pinot Bianco
6% Sauvignon Blanc
Alto Adige is also called Südtirol (South Tyrol).
Italian and German are official languages, but the locals also speak Ladin.
Before 1918, Südtirol was part of the Austrian-Hungarian empire, but was annexed to Italy after the first World War.
Early wine production was dominated by Austrian red wines like Lagrein and Vernatch (Schiava).
Today white wines are more important, mostly Pinot Grigio, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Bianco, and Chardonnay.
Upcoming wines are Savignon Blanc and Pinot Nero.