Arnaldo Caprai 2018 Montefalco Sagrantino 750ml

An exotic and smoky mix of dusty dried flowers, allspice, sage and dried black cherries emerges from the hauntingly dark 2018 Montefalco Sagrantino 25 Anni. This is densely textural and weighty in feel, yet the balance is on point, as brisk acids maintain momentum, and a saturation of ripe red and black fruits permeate the palate. Balsam, mint, tobacco, dark chocolate and licorice can all be found through the long and utterly dramatic finale, as the 25 Anni finishes structured, yet more approachable than I’ve come to expect. Arnaldo Caprai did a great job in creating a highly successful wine in 2018; however, don’t expect it to take the usual ten years (or more) that this bottling usually does to come around.

Score: 94 points  -- Eric Guido, Vinous, 2022