Lagrein Wine in Australia

This Italian red wine variety is prized for producing wines with firm tannins and good colour, particularly in its native Trentino and Alto Aldige regions of Northern Italy. It is now being used by over forty Australian producers.

Lagrein Grapes at Bassham winery ready for vintage

In Northern Italy Lagrein is used to make varietal and blended red wines, the main blending partner is Schiava Grossa. It is also used to make rose style wines.

The flavour of Lagrein

Here is what some wine writers say about Lagrein

Very well connected, distictively fruity but sometimes rustic - Jancis Robinson in Wine Grapes

Sour plums with a touch of grass and bitter cherries some dark chocolate and a deep dark colour - Oz Clarke in Grapes and Wines

Tannic, spicy, tobacco, black plums, grassy herbaceous, earthy, fragrant - Steve De Long Wine Varietal Table

More Italian red wine varieties used in Australia

One of the best books about Italian wine grape varieties is Ian d'Agata's Native Wine Grapes of Italy

Lagrein in Australia

There are now about forty producers of wine from this variety in Australia, up from about zero at the start of this century.

The interesting thing is that although this variety hails from the cooler northern region of Italy it is being used very successfully in the warmer Australian regions of Murray Darling and Riverland.

Rita Richter of Grey Sands winery in Northern Tasmania suggests

A possible reason for Lagrein doing well in Riverland is that, although it comes from northern Italy where it gets snow it winter, maybe it gets pulses of high heat in summer - ie the 'continental effect'.

The first commercial lagrein in Australia

You can read about how wine enthusiast Peter May encouraged the first Australian commercial planting of Lagrein vines

At the 2020 Alternative Varietal Wine Show (AAVWS) just 9 wines were judged in the Lagrein class. Nine were judged as medal worthy. Next Crop 2017 Langhorne Creek Lagrein and SAMU 2108 Riverland won the Gold medals. Three Silver medals and four Bronze medals were also awarded.

Bassham Lagrein, a gold medal winner from the Riverland

919 Wines Riverland
Alejandro Riverland
Amadio Adelaide Hills
Angus Plains Estate Langhorne Creek
Bassham Riverland
Bremerton Langhorne Creek
Brown Brothers King Valley
Cargo Road Wines Orange
Chalmers Heathcote
Cirami Estate Riverland
Cobaw Ridge Macedon Ranges
Conte Estate Wines McLaren Vale
Dell'uva Wines Barossa Valley
Di Lusso Estate Mudgee
Domain Day Barossa Valley
Gisborne Peak Macedon Ranges
Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy McLaren Vale
Hartz Barn Wines Eden Valley
Heartland Wines Limestone Coast Zone
Heritage Estate Granite Belt
Hidden Creek Granite Belt
Hofer Family Wines Langhorne Creek
John Gehrig Wines King Valley
Kangaroo Hills Macedon Ranges
King River Estate King Valley
La Prova Adelaide Hills
Lazzar Wines Mornington Peninsula
Lethbridge Wines Geelong
Matriarch and Rogue Clare Valley
Mount Avoca Pyrenees
Mount Towrong Macedon Ranges
Next Crop Wines Langhorne Creek
Oak Works Riverland
Paulmara Estate Barossa Valley
Point Leo Road Vineyard Mornington Peninsula
Ricca Terra Riverland
Salena Estate Riverland
SAMU Riverland
Seppletsfield Barossa Valley
Serafino Wines McLaren Vale
Sirromet Granite Belt
Symphony Hill Wines Granite Belt
Tertini Wines Southern Highlands
Wangolina Station Mount Benson
Woodstock McLaren Vale
Zonte's Footstep Langhorne Creek

Last Update 3 Jan 2021

Lagrein and food

The Italian origin of the variety suggests Italian food but I would suggest it would go better with heartier Italian dishes such as osso bucco, brasato (beef braised in red wine), grilled fennel sausages or perhaps with a grilled steak with anchovy butter.

You could also try Lagrein with sharp vintage cheese, crackers and dried fruit.

You can find some wine of this variety at this online wine merchant. you can make up your own mixed cases. And you have the convenience of ordering from home and getting your wine delivered.

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