2019 Denier-Handal Sagrantino, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
On the nose, one may find aromas of caramel, toffee, dried fig, and dried cherry that evolve on the palate into flavors of red cherry/strawberry fruit, burnt brown sugar, and chewy chalky tannins that persist on the palate, showing this varietal’s characteristic balance between opulence and austerity. Our 2019 Sagrantino is dry and rich in the mouth, elegant, tannic, tangy, and fruity, making it a great food wine, pairing well with prosciutto, sausage, pastas, and sweet pastries. Salute!
Specs
Varietals: Sagrantino
Winemakers: Dick Handal & Lucas Meeker
Harvest date: September 2019
In the Cellar: Fermentation in open top tanks with manual punch down 2-4 times a day
Fermentation: 10 days
Oak Regimen: 22 months in French and American oak
Alcohol: 15%
pH: 3.80
Residual Sugar: Less than 0.1%
Bottled: August 2021
2018 Denier-Handal Sagrantino, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Gold, North Coast Wine Festival 2025 91 Points, Gold, Harvest Fair 2024
Tasting Notes
On the nose, one may find aromas of caramel, fig, and dried cherry that evolve on the palate into flavors of red cherry/strawberry fruit, burnt brown sugar, and chewy chalky tannins that persist on the palate, showing this varietal’s characteristic balance between opulence and austerity. Our 2018 Sagrantino is fruit and rich in the mouth, elegant, tannic, and tangy, making it a great food wine, pairing well with cured meats, sausage, pastas, biscotti, and sweet pastries. Salute!
Specs
Varietals: Sagrantino
Winemaker: Dick Handal, Lucas Meeker, David Noyes, Consulting Winemaker
Harvest date: September 21, 2018
In the Cellar: Fermentation in open top tanks with manual punch down 2-4 times a day
Fermentation: 10 days
Oak Regimen: 22 months in French and American oak
Alcohol: 15.3%
pH: 3.80
Residual Sugar: Less than 0.1%
Bottled: July 2020
What’s Included
4-bottles:
2x 2019 Denier-Handal Sagrantino, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
2x 2018 Denier-Handal Sagrantino, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County Case:
6x 2019 Denier-Handal Sagrantino, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
6x 2018 Denier-Handal Sagrantino, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Price Comparison
Not for sale on winery website, $480/case MSRP
About The Winery
Winery: Handal-Denier Vineyards
For over twenty years, we were primarily grape growers selling our premium grapes to some of the best wineries in Sonoma and Napa counties, with whom we have long-standing relationships. One of our client-wineries was Wellington Vineyards in Glen Ellen, owned by the Wellington family of Sonoma. Peter Wellington, owner-winemaker, produced award-winning, vineyard-specific Cabernet Sauvignons, including one from our Dry Creek Vineyard. Peter Wellington helped us develop and make our wines. We grew and produced boutique lots of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Sagrantino, and Zinfandel at the Wellington facility in Glen Ellen. Currently, we produce our selection of wines at Meeker Winery custom crush facility in Healdsburg.
Though no longer farmers, we source grapes from our farming colleagues in the counties throughout California that follow high standards that include organic practices and support sustainability. These farming relationships ensure that our grapes will continue to produce award-winning premium wines. We make single varietal wine as well as award-winning blends.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Denier-Handal Sagrantino - $59 = 23.69%
Reverse Wine Snob offered the 2018 in a mixed pack back in April:
The 2018 Denier-Handal Sagrantino is another young wine that needs some time to open up. Once it does, it features a really savory, succulent aroma of black cherry, spice, cinnamon, a little anise, cedar, licorice, some floral notes and lots of other touches as you sniff and swirl. It’s a fantastic start.
Tasting the wine reveals it to be smooth, tannic and delicious! With similar flavors to the nose and plenty of big tannins (which we love), this is not for the light of heart. Luckily at 7 years of age the tannins are starting to lessen and smooth out a bit making this a pretty approachable example of Sagrantino for those new to the variety.
It just kept getting better the longer it was open. And as good as it is now I’m guessing it’s got another 3-4 years to go before it hits its peak and plenty of prime drinking years after that.
It ends long, dry and very grippy on the harmonious finish and it was even better on day 2.
2018, some medals:
Gold Medal Winner – 2025 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Gold Medal Winner – 2024 Sonoma County Harvest Fair
I learned that time is eternal from the KLF, also known as the Justified Ancients of Mu Mu. So this wine’s gotta be good.
I’ve never had a bottle from Denier-Handal that I haven’t like, excited to try this new to me varietal.
I was lucky to receive the 2019 Denier-Handel Sagratino for review.
Nose: Earthy and notes of plum and herbs.
Color: Medium to dark ruby and slightly purple.
I’m new to Sagratino, and the first taste was full bodied and smooth, with medium to high tannins. The taste was consistent with the nose as the plum came through again. This wasn’t bright fruit but a deeper flavor. This would be better paired with food due to the higher tannins. Overall, I enjoyed it and the pricing was consistent with my expectations.
@GraysonM Thanks for the review. Since I’ve never even heard of the grape before, are there any other reds that it would be even remotely similar to? Always looking to expand what I drink
2019 Denier-Handal Sagrantino, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Tasting Notes
Specs
2018 Denier-Handal Sagrantino, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Gold, North Coast Wine Festival 2025
91 Points, Gold, Harvest Fair 2024
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale on winery website, $480/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Sep 22 - Tuesday, Sep 23
Denier-Handal Sagrantino
4 bottles for $82.99 $20.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $189.99 $15.83/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2018 Denier-Handal Sagrantino
2019 Denier-Handal Sagrantino
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Denier-Handal Sagrantino - $59 = 23.69%
Reverse Wine Snob offered the 2018 in a mixed pack back in April:
The 2018 Denier-Handal Sagrantino is another young wine that needs some time to open up. Once it does, it features a really savory, succulent aroma of black cherry, spice, cinnamon, a little anise, cedar, licorice, some floral notes and lots of other touches as you sniff and swirl. It’s a fantastic start.
Tasting the wine reveals it to be smooth, tannic and delicious! With similar flavors to the nose and plenty of big tannins (which we love), this is not for the light of heart. Luckily at 7 years of age the tannins are starting to lessen and smooth out a bit making this a pretty approachable example of Sagrantino for those new to the variety.
It just kept getting better the longer it was open. And as good as it is now I’m guessing it’s got another 3-4 years to go before it hits its peak and plenty of prime drinking years after that.
It ends long, dry and very grippy on the harmonious finish and it was even better on day 2.
2018, some medals:
Gold Medal Winner – 2025 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Gold Medal Winner – 2024 Sonoma County Harvest Fair
Gold Medal, 91 Points – 2025 Press Democrat North Coast Wine Challenge
That’s about it…
fwiw
I remember having a couple of these from a previous vintage and really enjoying it.
temporal-absent-turtle
I learned that time is eternal from the KLF, also known as the Justified Ancients of Mu Mu. So this wine’s gotta be good.
I’ve never had a bottle from Denier-Handal that I haven’t like, excited to try this new to me varietal.
I was lucky to receive the 2019 Denier-Handel Sagratino for review.
Nose: Earthy and notes of plum and herbs.
Color: Medium to dark ruby and slightly purple.
I’m new to Sagratino, and the first taste was full bodied and smooth, with medium to high tannins. The taste was consistent with the nose as the plum came through again. This wasn’t bright fruit but a deeper flavor. This would be better paired with food due to the higher tannins. Overall, I enjoyed it and the pricing was consistent with my expectations.
@GraysonM Thanks for the review. Since I’ve never even heard of the grape before, are there any other reds that it would be even remotely similar to? Always looking to expand what I drink