While Arnaldo gave Sagrantino its start shortly after the inception of his eponymous estate (in 1971), Marco eventually became its foremost advocate—not merely making it the varietal centerpiece of the estate, but devoting a comprehensive research program to its study. This effort, undertaken in cooperation with the University of Milan, commenced in 1990, only two years after Marco had assumed direction of the Caprai operation. The initial phase was devoted to an in-depth analysis of Sagrantino’s “mother plants”—clones that expressly define themselves through highly developed or demonstrative features—shape, level of sugar, aromatic profile, etc. Many of Sagrantino’s attributes had been diminished or altogether obscured through indiscriminate processes of selection that were not attuned to individual clonal traits. The research was designed not only to isolate these characteristics, but to analyze their scientific merit as well as their translation on the palate.

The research did not stop there, however, moving on to the vineyard to determine the most advantageous training system and density; various combinations were assessed across both a five-root spectrum and various vintages. The ultimate objective of such rigorous research was to identify the particular clones that performed best in the terroir concerned and the viticultural systems and approaches that befit their respective constitutions. This nuanced study necessarily entailed acquiring expertise in the region’s native constitution—its terroir. While Sagrantino’s autochthonous positioning in Umbria’s Montefalco zone authors an organic synergy between the grape and the elements of both soil and terroir, Caprai and Milan University scholars assessed those relationships to uncover the specific methods that elicit the most beneficial interactions.

At present, Sagrantino is one of Italy’s hottest indigenous varietals—a status that may, for all intents of purposes, be attributed exclusively to Marco Caprai. As aforementioned, Sagrantino didn’t have much going for it when Caprai started out, particularly as it was primarily known as a passito wine. Caprai was fully committed in the early days, however, calling upon the services of scholar Leonardo Valenti and famed wine consultant Attilio Pagli to assist him in establishing a name not only for Sagrantino, but for the region of Montefalco as well.

In order to mark the estate’s 25th Anniversary, Marco crafted a special pure-varietal Sagrantino known as 25 Anni. Derived from the estate’s premier selections of low-yielding fruit, 25 Anni is aged for a period of two years in barrique, followed by eight months of bottle refinement. In general, Caprai is known for maximizing Sagrantino’s intensity, delivering a modern interpretation that proffers an intriguing juxtaposition with the expression of Paolo Bea. The estate’s flagship bottling, 25 Anni normally matures 15 to 20 years beyond the vintage. Caprai’s portfolio also features Sagrantino normale and passito bottlings, and efforts beyond his principal varietal interest, including two “Outsider” bottlings—a Bordeaux blend and a Pinot Nero bottling, the latter of which is available only via a special Web site.