This year, Arnaldo Caprai celebrates the 50th anniversary of the winery, which was founded in 1971 when Arnaldo purchased the estate of Valdimaggio in Montefalco, Umbria. In 1988, ownership passed on to his son Marco Caprai, who shifted the winery’s main focus to the study of Sagrantino clones and cultivation techniques in collaboration with the University of Milan. The research on the grape, which has been growing in the Montefalco region for more than 400 years, culminated with the release of 25 Anni, a Sagrantino di Montefalco presented for the 25th anniversary of the winery in 1996. This historic release won many awards, established Arnaldo Caprai as the leading producer for top quality Sagrantino and brought the varietal into the national and international spotlight.
After Marco Caprai’s pivotal role in resurrecting and elevating Sagrantino, it is no surprise that his winery is releasing a special wine to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The 2016 vintage of 25 Anni will have a stunning gold leaf label created by the international artist Paolo Canevari. It is inspired by the painting the “Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine of Alexandria” by Benozzo Gozzoli, dated 1466 and preserved in the Franciscan Museum of Montefalco. This unique label will be applied to only 3,000 bottles, with only 150 reaching the US market. Precious and
extremely elegant, the special edition is strongly evocative of the bond between the Caprai family, the winery and the region. This wine celebrates Marco’s dedication to a single varietal and the land it comes from, with each sip revealing Sagrantino’s rich history, tradition and culture.
“I dedicated my life in making Sagrantino, an important variety in the Italian wine scene, and we want to celebrate the 50th anniversary with a limited edition very special bottle for collectors,” says Marco Caprai, second generation owner of Arnaldo Caprai.