Umbria

Caprais Montefalco Rosso is an attractive red made predominantly from Sangiovese with small amounts of Sagrantino and Merlot. The aroma is unmistakably of black cherries and violets. Juicy and playful on the palate, with balanced acidity that enlivens the crisp red berry fruit, which leaves a slight mineral touch towards the end. Plenty of power and freshness, good structure, elegant on the finish. SUPERIORE.DE

On the nose, crushed rocks, dusty dried flowers, lively fresh pears and yellow apples. Opens with a pleasing inner sweetness accompanied by crunchy fruit and a hint of sweet spice. Lively acidity provides fantastic balance and presence as it tapers off with a subtle train of crisp tannins and a lemony concentration that slowly fades away. Tradition, innovation and typicity are the key words of the daily endeavours at the Arnaldo Caprai winery. And so this white wine from the old, indigenous Grechetto variety is traditional, straightforward and pleasantly drinkable - and anything but banal. SUPERIORE.DE

Tramonto d'Estate Rosato comes from south-east facing limestone slopes near Decugnano at 250 metres above sea level, where cool nights and clay-limestone soils provide ideal conditions. The Grenache grapes are harvested by hand in small crates. After gentle whole-cluster pressing and static clarification for 24 hours, temperature-controlled fermentation takes place at 16 °C. The wine then matures for four months. The wine then matures for four months on the fine lees.

Powerful ruby colour. Beautiful interplay between earthy notes, tobacco and dark berry fruit on the nose, finely characterised. Juicy on the palate and on the palate, flows calmly, grippy, well-integrated tannins, fine drinking flow. Much fresher and airier than expected, but still powerful. A harmonious all-rounder with ambition. SUPERIORE.DE

The name Mare Antico (ancient sea) is a tribute to the marine fossils and shells found in the soils of Orvieto. It is a beautiful blend of 55% Grechetto, 20% Vermentino, 20% Chardonnay and 5% Procanico and is the house's flagship wine every year.

Castello della Sala, located not far from Orvieto at an altitude of 500 metres, produces excellent wines without exception, as the inexpensive "entry-level wine" San Giovanni della Sala proves. The wine is produced in the vineyards of the ancient castle of Castello della Sala from the combination of the indigenous grape varieties Grechetto and Procanico with Pinot Bianco and Viognier and interprets the Orvieto Classico in a new style. Its freshness, richness and balance are remarkable, with notes of yellow flowers, green apple, sage and ginger. On the palate, an incredibly silky texture and juicy acidity guide this juicy white wine into a beautiful, mineral finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Enzo Barbi produces just 3,500 bottles of this flavoursome Sauvignon Bianco every year. It rises from the glass with a lovely freshness, while a delicate wave of lemongrass, chalk dust and sweet custard fills the senses. On the palate, it flows with silky texture and ripe, citrus-kissed orchard fruits accompanied by lively acidity. A hint of mint leaves and green peas lingers on the classically dry finish, while L'Inquisitore ends remarkably tangy and with a slight mineral bite. This extremely pretty Sauvignon Bianco from Umbria makes a rather light-footed first impression, but leaves a big impression. SUPERIORE.DE

The date on the label (1212 AD) indicates when the winery was given its current name. Deep, powerful dark purple colour. The seamless bouquet is infused with purple and black fruit nuances with a good amount of spice and toast. The palate is pure elegance, silky and streamlined, with an increasing minerality providing traction, while a delicate web of tannins, floral black fruits and exotic spices resonate. Our verdict: A juicy, deep and captivating red that already has a wide range and will continue to grow with further years of bottle ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

The date on the label (1212 AD) indicates when the winery was given its current name. Deep, powerful dark violet colour. The seamless bouquet is infused with purple and black fruit nuances with a good amount of spice and toast. The palate is pure elegance, silky and streamlined, with an increasing minerality that provides traction, while a delicate web of tannins, floral black fruits and exotic spices resonate. Our verdict: A juicy, deep and captivating red that already has a wide range and will continue to grow with further years of bottle ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

The hills around Orvieto have always been recognised as an area with amazing potential for quality white wines. The Verdeluce is no exception. This complex cuvée combines the elegance of Pinot Bianco with the juicy structure of the Sémillon grape and the freshness of Grechetto. Vibrant light yellow colour. The fresh bouquet is intense and inviting, characterised by citrus fruits, sweet herbs and floral nuances. Elegant and taut on the palate with a balanced, fresh acidity and an intense final. SUPERIORE.DE

Arnaldo Caprais Montefalco Rosso Riserva shows how much depth and complexity can be achieved with this combination of local varieties. The wine is intense and particularly concentrated thanks to ripe fruit and careful oak ageing. You can feel the power of the Sagrantino tannins, but this power is well measured and under control. With its dark and crunchy fruit, this is a wine that initially makes you bite your teeth out, but which becomes increasingly elegant as it matures in the bottle. SUPERIORE.DE

Conte della Vipera is a tribute to the first owners of the castle and the label refers to the 13th century chapel of St John, which is located on the estate. The vineyards are situated at an altitude of 250 to 350 metres above sea level on soils rich in fossilised marine deposits.

Aroma of dried black berries with nutty tones, tar, tobacco, candy, dark caramel and a light woody note. Powerful in the mouth, ripe, again partly dried fruit with a little cocoa-spicy wood flavours, slightly compote-like on the palate, dense and persistent, warming alcohol, present, predominantly crumbly tannin, some tar, behind it tobacco and herbs. Wonderful, partly salty finish. SUPERIORE.DE

In the mysterious Etruscan caves under the hill of Decugnano, a sparkling wine matures at a constant 13° Celsius, which is only produced in extremely limited quantities. Claudio Barbi produced this Metodo Classico in 1978 as the first bottle fermenter in Umbria. At that time, it was still made from Procanico and Verdello grapes. Over the years, it has developed into something even more special by using Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and extending the ageing period on the lees to 4 years. The entire production process is artisanal: riddling and disgorging are still done manually and are carried out with noticeable care and passion.

Black-red and almost impenetrable in the glass. Blackberry, black cherry, some rum pot and tobacco on the nose. Generous and ripe on the palate, flanked by taut tannins, which are pleasantly flanked by the fleshy core. Once again, Marco Caprai has succeeded in taming the Sagrantino grape and raising it to the highest heights - a grape variety that demands a great deal of sensitivity every year, even from the "bedrock" from Montefalco. SUPERIORE.DE

Fine late harvest from Antinori: Complex aroma and silky flavour with aromas of sweet, juicy peaches, ripe pears, jasmine, caramel and honey. Creamy finish with notes of orange marmalade and spices, but not overly sweet. Muffato della Sala is one of Italy's most famous and delicious dessert wines. SUPERIORE.DE

The name Mare Antico (ancient sea) is a tribute to the marine fossils and shells found in the soils of Orvieto. It is a beautiful blend of 55% Grechetto, 20% Vermentino, 20% Chardonnay and 5% Procanico and is the house's flagship wine every year.

The "25 Anni" from Caprai has been THE ambassador for Umbria's top wines for many years. It captivates with a beguiling bouquet that combines black fruits with citrus fruits, exotic spices, a hint of oregano, menthol and a hint of cocoa. The texture is more like pure silk that lays delicately across the palate, leaving a satisfying mix of intense dark fruits, minerals and fine-grained tannin. There is so much depth and concentration to work with that even when it finishes youthfully structured and dry, it lingers for well over a minute with notes of redcurrant, sage and dark chocolate. This exceptional Sagrantino is undisputedly not only Caprai's top wine, but also one of Italy's most characterful wines, which, with a little more ageing, is an incredible pleasure and should therefore definitely be aerated for 3-4 hours when young. SUPERIORE.DE