1996 Arnaldo Caprai Sagrantino di Montefalco 25 Anni

Caprai's top wine, the Sagrantino di Montefalco 25 Anni, was first released in 1993 to commemorate the estate's 25th anniversary. It has since gone on to become one of Italy's most recognized wines. The 25 Anni starts as a vineyard selection of the finest fruit at harvest, followed by a second selection in the cellar. Essentially the 25 Anni represents the finest barrels of Sagrantino the estate has produced in a given year. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in French oak and sees approximately 50-60% new barrels, depending on the vintage. The estate's 1996 Sagrantino di Montefalco 25 Anni is a deeply spiced, balsamic wine loaded with iron, smoke and tar, all of which add complexity to the fruit. The 1996 is still quite dense and full-bodied, and at this stage it seems likely the wine will retain those qualities for some time. In many ways, the 1996 25 Anni reminds me of a Serralunga Barolo in its darkness.