Umbria

Intense straw yellow with green reflections, it has a persistent scent of apple and delicate floral notes. The taste is very fine and delicate. The harmonious acidity gives this fresh white wine drive and tension. SUPERIORE.DE

Typical Umbrian red wine made from the native Sangiovese and Canaiolo varieties. Proud, sincere, clear and clean, it offers a pleasant down-to-earthness with its aromas and the characteristic fruity notes. Wonderful as a drinking wine or as an accompaniment to simple, rustic dishes. SUPERIORE.DE

Tradition, innovation and typicity are the key words of the daily efforts at the Arnaldo Caprai winery. And so this white wine from the old, local variety Grechetto is traditional, straightforward and pleasantly palatable - and anything but banal. SUPERIORE.DE

Caprais Montefalco Rosso is an attractive red wine made mainly from Sangiovese with small portions of Sagrantino and Merlot. In the nose unmistakable black cherries and violets, power and freshness on the palate, firm structure, elegant finish. SUPERIORE.DE

"Dried cherries, roasted herbs, dried red plums, tobacco and vanilla. Full-bodied and plush but reserved and elegant. Drink from 2021." James Suckling

From the Castello della Sala, not far from Orvieto, 500 metres above sea level, there are without exception excellent wines like the San Giovanni della Sala. A dense, well-balanced classic, which completely convinces with minerality and spiciness. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2019 San Giovanni della Sala is remarkably fresh, balancing richness with tension, as pretty yellow flowers give way to green apple, with hints of sage and ginger. It floods the palate with silky textures carrying ripe orchard fruits, and subtly sweet spices settle upon the senses as juicy acids add verve. The finish is medium in length, showing salty minerality and lingering inner florals. This blend of Grechetto, Procanico, Pinot Bianco and Viognier is a pleasure to taste." Vinous

Rich, well balanced bouquet with notes of kumquats. On the palate yellow stone fruit, graphite, minerals and a delicate vanilla note. This fresh whiteness is already elegant, balanced, full-bodied and persistent on the palate, the further aging in the bottle will complete it. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2019 Bramìto della Sala lifts from the glass with a strikingly fresh and perfumed bouquet, showing smoky stone dust and young peach with hints of lime and yellow flowers. Soft textures wash across the palate, soothing yet also leaving a sizzle of brisk acids and minerals and creating a juicy and tactile expression. The finish is medium in length yet vibrant, resonating on notes of lemony citrus and tart apple. This is a beautiful and mouthwatering Umbrian Chardonnay." Vinous

Deep purple-red colour, in the bouquet nuances of juniper berries, tar, smoke and liquorice. The Montefalco Rosso Riserva offers great juiciness and brings an attractive combination of elegance and structure, richness in aromas and polished tannins. SUPERIORE.DE

"The 2016 Arnaldo Caprai Montefalco Rosso Riserva blends 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino and 15% Merlot to create a powerful but deeply alluring expression, showing crushed blackberry and cherry offset by spiced orange, with sweet and savory herbs, crushed stone and hints of animal musk. On the palate, soft textures envelop the senses, contrasted by tart red fruits, grippy minerality and fine tannins, yet for all of the youthful tension, there’s a cooling, subtle sweetness here that provides balance. The finish is long and structured, resonating on sweet herbs, with hints of mocha and tobacco. It’s not a shy wine, yet if you enjoy the style, a few years of cellaring will unlock even further depth." Vinous

"Here’s a very floral and "postmodern” Montefalco that shows dried violets, lavender, bay leaf, pine cones and some dried meat. It’s still warm and hearty on the full-bodied palate, but bolstered by carefully wrought tannins and direct acidity. Drink from 2021." James Suckling

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

"Aromas of dark-skinned berries, toasted oak and underbrush lead the nose. The spicy, structured palate offers dried black cherry, black pepper, tobacco and clove alongside tight, close-grained tannins." Wine Enthusiast

"This is a plush, ripe red with dried plums and notes of tar and ash, as well as a touch of menthol. Full-bodied and ripe, but structured and dialed-in. Decadent on the finish. With a tad less alcohol, this would score even more highly. Drink from 2023." James Suckling

"The 2015 Montefalco Sagrantino Collepiano benefits from more stringent fruit selection. "We are limited to only the best fruit for this wine, and we changed the way we pick with multiple harvests," says Marco Caprai. This warm and sunny vintage has shaped a generous and inviting wine that is opulent, bold and rich all at once. This wine offers ample power, yet it's not as bruising as past vintages I remember." Robert Parker

Fine Spätlese: Complex fragrance and silky taste with aromas of sweet, juicy peaches, ripe pears, jasmine and honey. Muffato della Sala is one of the most delicious sweet wines to be drunk fresh in Italy. SUPERIORE.DE

"That was a cool and wet vintage, and although the Botrytis cinerea set in easily enough, the 2014 vintage is noticeably thinner and weaker in terms of intensity. The 2013 Muffato della Sala (packaged in a 500-milliliter bottle) takes that intensity way up, thanks to the normal, or classic, weather seen in this growing season. The bouquet delivers honey, acacia flower and touches of caramel. The wine's texture is rich and beautifully enhanced by dried apricot and quince." Robert Parker

Black red and almost impenetrable in the glass. In the bouquet blackberry, black cherry, some rum pot and tobacco. Generous and ripe on the palate, flanked by firm tannin, which is pleasantly flanked by the fleshy core. Marco Caprai has once again succeeded in taming the Sagrantino grape and helping it to reach its highest dignity - a grape variety that demands a great deal of sensitivity every year, even from the "primitive" Montecalco. SUPERIORE.DE

"Aromas of blueberry brandy, underbrush, dark spice and eucalyptus take shape in the glass. On the tightly knit, brawny palate, assertive, close-grained tannins support dried black cherry, licorice and clove alongside the heat of evident alcohol." Wine Enthusiast

"The plush elderberries and hints of peperoncino and balsamic work rather well with the dried cedar and dark chocolate. Full-bodied and nicely indented in furrows of chewy tannins revealing dark fruit and detailed acidity." James Suckling

"Though tightly knit and well-defined by sculpted tannins, this fresh red shows overall elegance, featuring a lovely, fragrant range of plumped cherry and strawberry fruit, with star anise, graphite and cardamom notes, ashy smoke accents and hints of dried mint and marjoram. Creamy finish." Wine Spectator

"Black fruit, spice, tar and cured tobacco open the bouquet of the 2015 Montefalco Sagrantino Valdimaggio. You also get slightly more mature aromas of rum cake or cherry liqueur from this warm and sunny vintage. This is a complete and generous wine that shows tight tannins at the back. Despite that evident muscle and brawn, the tannins are carefully managed so that they don't taste bitter or astringent. In fact, quite the opposite." Robert Parker

If one has the chance to ever get a Sagrantino Passito from Montefalco in a glass, then the time practically stops! Sensual bouquet of blueberries, liquorice and undergrowth. Firm and racy on the palate, with nice acidity, juice and power. Very melty and not at all sticky, it inspires with an irresistible taste of wild berry confit, dark berries and a fine tart nougat note. World class! SUPERIORE.DE

In the Sagrantino di Montefalco 25 Anni, all the elements of a drop full of character multiply exponentially: room-filling aromas of sweet berries, perfectly integrated wood tones, on the palate a cornucopia of ripe fruit, powerful and sensual. Caprais is a top plant, which gives incredible pleasure and must be aired for 3-4 hours when young. SUPERIORE.DE

"Aromas of baked plum, purple flowers, exotic spices and French oak form the nose on this full-bodied red. The firmly structured palate shows focus and finesse, delivering ripe black cherry, spiced blueberry, licorice and tobacco alongside tightly knit, fine-grained tannins that leave a rather drying finish. Give it time to fully develop. Drink 2023–2035." Wine Enthusiast

"Although this is ripe and decadent, it’s also very polished and inviting. Dried plums, tar, menthol, licorice and caramelized oranges and cedar are all in play. The tannins are enormous, but they’re covered in dark-chocolate notes and enhanced by vibrant dark fruit. Full-bodied and long on the luxurious finish." James Suckling

"This is a baritone beauty. The 2015 Montefalco Sagrantino 25 Anni is a darkly extracted and thick expression with inky-black fruit aromas that are followed by finer accents of licorice, smoke and tar. The bouquet is deep and complex. There is dark spice here as well, but those spicy tones are mixed with balsam herb, barbecue smoke and teriyaki. The wine is full-bodied and layered, with rich textural fiber. This vintage will award those who wait." Robert Parker