2015 Merlot Belcompare

You can’t speak of Umbria and Sagrantino without mentioning Arnaldo Caprai and its innovative owner, Marco Caprai. The history of the winery goes back to the early 1970s, a time when the indigenous Sagrantino di Montefalco was evolving from a grape used to create passito-style dessert wines to a grape that produces dry reds of power and prestige. At the time, the focus on quality, clones and terroir was practically nonexistent. That all began to change in the early 1990s, with Marco Caprai. Caprai’s focus on identifying the different clones throughout Montefalco, Bevagna and Gualdo Cattaneo, experimenting with updated trellising systems and high-density plantings, and locating the best areas to apply each new practice was unparalleled by any other producer in the region. Taming the intense tannins of Sagrantino was another challenge, yet with a deft use of oak, Caprai created wines that, although aggressively structured in their youth, could still appeal to international palates. Even with all these innovative changes and updates, Marco Caprai maintained respect for the region and its environment. This focus continues to this day, just as you can still depend on a bottle of Arnaldo Caprai to perform as a benchmark for the region – assuming you don’t mind a little wood spice in your Sagrantino or Umbrian Sangiovese. As for the wines, expect polished, sleek, deep, yet well-muscled expressions that do require cellaring to show their best, yet display a glimmer of future glory even in their youth. Today I am impressed by the Sagrantino Spinning Beauty, a new project, made from the oldest historical parcel within the estate vineyards, named Monte della Torre. The wine spends a whopping eight years in oak and another two in bottle prior to release to help tame those aggressive Sagrantino tannins. Another personal favorite for daily drinking is the Grecante Grechetto, a Bianco that puts on no airs, yet satisfies deeply. With 220 hectares of well-researched clones and sustainable, quality-minded farming, the wines from Arnaldo Caprai continue to perform at a high level.