Lagrein hails from northern Italy originally. Here, it produces a full bodied wine that shows off a mixture of red and dark fruit, alongside eucalyptus and brown spices. There's a touch of bitter chocolate on the finish, along with mint, dark earth and wood spice.

Origin: Alto Adige in northern Italy. Mainly Grown In: Alto Adige and the southern Tyrol in northern Italy, with a smattering in Australia. Key Facts: Lagrein is Alto Adige’s finest local red variety, producing charming and soulful reds of a medium weight, backed by notable acid and tannin. The Alpine regions of northern Italy favour Lagrein, as it needs plenty of sunshine to ripen properly, but it also prefers cooler nights, in order to hold onto its trademark acidity. You could argue that Australia is Lagrein’s second home, with very few plantings of the grape seen outside of Italy. Oregon in the USA is known to have a few vineyards. Flavours of the wine tend towards black plums, often with cherry and some grassiness (which in Australia can translate to mint). They always seem to have a twinge of dark chocolate, earth and tobacco. One of a kind. Fun Facts : Lagrein was first produced commercially in Australia by Macedon Ranges pioneers Cobaw Ridge, who planted it in 1993 and made a wine in 1998.