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| Marco Caprai |
Marco is currently the Managing Director of Armando Caprai, wine venture of the industrial group of the same name. His father, Armando, bought a 2-ha property in Umbria in 1971 and began making wine. Marco studied Political Science in school but, at the age of 21, it was time for him to join the family business. As he said, rather than go into the fashion or textile arms of the business, he opted to manage the winery, beginning that effort in 1988.
Soon after taking charge of the estate, Marco set his sights on establishing the flailing Sagrantino as the foundational wine of the region. He collaborated with the University of Milan to launch the Sagrantino Project in 1989 and, after intensive studies and experimentation, and gaining the support and cooperation of other regional players, he attained the successes manifested in the wine and the region of today.
The Sagrantino grape was introduced into the area in the 15th century by Franciscan monks who used it for liturgical purposes. The grape is famously rich in polyphenols, resulting in a wine with a deep purple color, full body, structure, and with a capacity for long life.
The Region
The grape can be found in both DOC and DOCG wines. The map below shows the location of the DOC region (granted in 1979 and covering parts of the municipalities of Bevagna, Giano dell'Umbria, Gualdo Cattaneo, Castel Ritaldi, and all of the municipality of Montefalco) and the DOCG region (granted in 1992 and with similar distribution as the DOC region). The DOC and DOCG regions are shown in the heart of the map, within the broader Colli Martani region.
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| Source: kasteelwijnen.com |
The area has a continental climate with average annual rainfall of 700 mm. The gently sloping hills that are a feature of the growing area support vineyards at elevations ranging between 220 m and 472 m a.s.l. Aspects are varied, resulting in a range of micro-climates.
The DOC wines are a Blanco (Grechetto -- min 50%; Trebbiano Toscano -- 20 - 35%; and Trebbiano Spoletino -- 0 - 30%) and a Rosso (Sagrantino -- 10 - 15%; Sangiovese -- 60 - 70%; and other red grapes -- 15 - 30%).The DOCG wines are made from 100% Sagrantino grapes and can be either dry or Passito. The grapes for these wines have a limited production and are characterized by small bunches, thick skins, and high polyphenol content.
The characteristics of the grape allows for partial drying (as in the case of the passito wine) and long aging. In the case of the passito wine, the grapes are carefully selected and left out to dry for approximately two months after which they are pressed and the must fermented with the skins.
As regards the DOCG wines, yields for the dry wine are 52 hl/ha and 28 hl/ha for the passito. Both wines must be aged for a minimum of 33 months, with a further requirement of minimum 4 months bottle aging. The dry wine must be resident in oak for a minimum of 12 months. The DOC wine requires 12 months aging.
The Vineyards
Marco had by this time increased the family's vineyard holdings from the original 2 ha to 149.7 ha, 89 of which was planted to vine. The farm is cultivated sustainably with grass planted between rows, limitations on the use of pesticides, CO2-emission monitoring, vineyard biodiversity, and adherence to sustainable social and environmental practices.
The Wines
The chart below shows the wines we tasted at the WPW event, the sources of the grapes, and the aging method for each.
We tasted the 2018 Grechetto Grecante as we milled around the bar. The wine was perfumed, floral, waxy and with yellow fruit on the nose. Herbs, a bitterness, textured and mineral on the palate. The minerality and texture combined to restrain the fruit flavors. Interesting mix of acidity, bitterness, and minerality. Textural intensity diminished with time.
The 2015 Montefalco Rosso showed herbs and violets on the nose, along with a slight nuttiness. Red fruits, medium body, and a peppery finish. The Riserva version of this wine had more of an obvious barrel note on the nose as well as shoe polish, spice, and sweet red fruit. Bright on the palate. Rich red fruit. Medium-bodied. Spicy, long, herby, mineral finish.
Sweet dark fruit and spice were the characteristics that I noted for the nose of the 2013 Sagrantino Collepiano. Smooth and round on the palate. Not as intense and structured as the 2008 we had sampled offline at the bar. Pleasant, rich, and open.
The final wine in the lineup was the 2013 Sagrantino 25 Anni. The initial bottling of this wine -- 1993 -- was a commemoration of the winery's 25th anniversary. The wine was the result of "in-depth research and careful clonal selection of Sagrantino's best grapes" and was awarded Gambero Rosso's Tre Biccheri upon release. The version that we tasted showed deep red fruit and a beautiful bouquet on the nose. Concentrated, with a hint of match flint, vanilla, baking spices, and mango. Structured dark fruit on the palate along with pepper, herbs, and good acid levels. Persistence of pepper gives way to texture. Long, spicy, bitter finish.
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I have visited the Paolo Bea estate in Montefalco and am a fan of his wines. Caprai wines stand in stark contrast to the Paolo Bea wines in that they have a more modern feel. The key here is the difference in winemaking between the two estates.The Caprai wines are aged for up to two years in French oak barriques and then up to an additional 6 months in bottle. Paolo Bea red wines, on the other hand, are aged for 1 year in stainless steel, 2 years in 20- to 30-hl oaken barrels, and then an additional 2 to 4 years in bottle.
Both wines are reflective of their winemakers' visions.
©Wine -- Mise en abyme
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