Love is a game to be played, in which those who love (even if unrequited) simply win. If you are a champion of sentiment, the right wine for 14 February (whether you are in a couple or alone, it doesn't matter) is definitely Collepiano, the Montefalco Sagrantino Docg signed by the Arnaldo Caprai winery, which a few days ago saw its 25 Anni included among the 10 best red wines in the world. The 2018 vintage of Collepiano, on the other hand, was chosen at the beginning of January by the Lega Serie A to toast the Supercoppa Frecciarossa, the first football trophy of the season: a wine for champions, a wine for the finals, which on Valentine's Day returns to the goblets of the bombers of love, those who dribble over the obstacles of the heart to score in sentiments.
And when it happens that the victory is special and shared, then it is worth toasting with a wine as warm and enveloping, intense and intriguing as the Collepiano, the winery's historic label: the first year of production, in fact, dates back to 1979.
2018 was a rainy year in spring and dry during the summer months, conditions that allowed the grapes to ripen perfectly: Added to this are 22 months in French oak barriques and at least 6 months in the bottle, which have given Collepiano aromas of blackberry jam, pepper, clove and vanilla, balsamic notes and a touch of powder, while on the palate it is powerful, silky, satisfying, the perfect accompaniment to game dishes, stews and roasted meats (price in wine shops from €27).
An extraordinary wine, with great longevity, the perfect metaphor for every love story, which we all wish would last forever: because, as Massimo Gramellini says, 'if meeting remains magic, it is not to miss the real fairy tale'.
ARNALDO CAPRAI FARM AT A GLANCE
Few other wineries in Italy and around the world are immediately identified just by mentioning the name of the denomination to which they belong, like Arnaldo Caprai, itself a symbol of Sagrantino di Montefalco. A unique reality, synonymous with Italian excellence, capable of creating wines that are out of the ordinary in terms of depth, elegance and longevity: not only reds, but also whites. The credit for this adventure that began in the late 1970s goes to Marco Caprai, Arnaldo's son. It was he, in fact, more than anyone else who believed in the richness of Sagrantino, reinterpreting it in a modern key, through the most innovative production and business management methods, which have enabled him to win the favour of the public and critics all over the world. Not to be outdone by the whites: Arnaldo Caprai's Grecante, 100% Grechetto, managed to conquer Wine Spectator's Top100.
A great company, Arnaldo Caprai, that guards a green soul, considering issues concerning sustainability, protection and safeguarding the environment as fundamental. The point of observation always remains the same: trying to behave in harmony with natural evolution cycles, preserving and enhancing the territory in which it operates. This is why the company decided to create an Environmental Management System that complies with international regulations, developing a voluntary territorial protocol of environmental, economic and social sustainability of the production process.
It is in this unparalleled context that wines of unforgettable substance are born, complex and elegant, capable of narrating the best of an entire region, Umbria.
