Two Italian CEOs Discuss The Joys And Trials Of Taming The Sagrantino Wine Grape In Umbria

It wasn’t until the death of her beloved father that Chiara Lungarotti came to the Montefalco wine region of Umbria, just 20 miles south of her family’s famous wine estate in Torgiano, Italy. Marco Caprai, on the other hand, moved to Montefalco at the age of 10 when his father started his namesake winery, Arnaldo-Caprai. Both professionals are second generation CEOs, taking up the mantle of the family business from their respective fathers. And both operate wineries dedicated to taming the red wine grape considered to have some of the highest amounts of antioxidants and tannins in the world – the Sagrantino grape.

How Two Falcons Made the Sagrantino Grape Famous

“It is thought that the Sagrantino grape was brought from the Middle East to Italy after the Crusades and was planted near church monasteries around this part of Umbria to make a sweet red passito wine for mass,” states Chiara Lungarotti.

But legend states that it was two falcons that really made the Sagrantino grape famous. “Emperor Frederick II used to visit this region of Umbria to go falcon hunting in the hills,” explains Marco Caprai.

Lungarotti expands on the legend. “They say that Emperor Frederick’s II’s favorite falcons – called Sakar falcons – got sick, and a doctor gave the falcons a medicine made from the local passito wine. The falcons recovered, and the Emperor was very happy. It is for this reason that the local wine grape was then called Sagrantino, from the name of the Sakar falcons, and the local village was re-named Montefalco (mountain of the falcon).”

Today the Montefalco DOCG is known for its powerful red wines made from 100% Sagrantino grapes. Though some local wineries still make a traditional sweet passito Sagrantino wine, the majority produce a dry complex red wine. These dry Montefalco Sagrantino wines usually have flavors of black plum, licorice, tea, olives, and pepper, along with massive tannins, high acidity, and the ability to age for decades. The wines pair well with hard cheeses, mushrooms, and wild game dishes.

Taming the Sagrantino Grape into an Enjoyable Wine

It is because of Sagrantino’s thick skin, massive tannins and high astringency, that it is said to have twice the level of polyphenols (antioxidants) as cabernet sauvignon. In parts of Italy, it is considered healthy to drink Sagrantino wine.

But it is precisely because of its massive tannins that the Sagrantino grape is notoriously difficult to ‘tame,’ and transform it into a drinkable wine. Often a bottle of Sagrantino wine takes years of aging before it can be approached and enjoyed. However at both Lungarotti-Montefalco (founded in 1999) and Arnaldo Caprai (founded in 1971) wineries, they have managed to produce some of the highest quality Sagrantinos in the world. Yet both wineries have adopted very different winemaking methods to achieve these results.

“We believe that the best wine is made in a small barrel,” states Caprai. “Therefore with the help of our consulting winemaker, Michel Rolland, we ferment in a 100% new small oak French barrel and then age in another 100% new small oak barrel for 24 to 28 months.”

For their signature wine, the Arnaldo-Caprai 25^th Anniversario Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG, the wine goes through a 15 day cold soak, 2 weeks fermentation in small oak barrel, and 40 to 50 days extended maceration before the barrel aging process. It is then aged in bottle for another year, resulting in a total of 3.5 years before release. The resulting wine is filled with inky black plum, dark chocolate, sandalwood and black pepper, wrapped in very generous oak, and costs around $110 per bottle.

At Lungarotti the winemaking process follows a different philosophy, but also with spectacular results. “Sagrantino is like a wild horse, and it needs to be tamed in both the vineyard and cellar,” states Lungarotti, “but 40% of the quality comes from good vineyard management, 20% from quality cellar management, and 40% depends on harvesting the grapes at the perfect time.”

For her signature wine, the Lungarotti Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG, Lungarotti harvests the grape at the peak of perfection – usually around the first week of October, and then ferments for 25 to 27 days in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. From there the wine ages 50% in large neutral French oak cask and 50% in small French oak barrels (20% new) for 12 months. Then it goes through bottle aging for another year and a half, resulting in just over 3 years before release. The resulting wine exudes rich plum, allspice, and walnut husk, all wrapped around powerful yet elegant tannins – reminiscent of a Napa Valley Howell Mountain cabernet – and costs around $62 per bottle.

Though different in style, both wines can easily age for another 30 years or more. Both wines have also received high scores from global wine critics.

Two Italian CEO’s Express Strong Connection to the Land

Both Umbrian wine CEO’s have managed to successfully propel their family estates into the 21^st century, and both express a strong connection to the land and family.

“The vineyards, land, and people of Umbria are very important to our family,” says Caprai. “We are continually experimenting in the vineyard with new trellising and technology to reduce the impact of global warming. Through our continual efforts we have achieved a 40% reduction in chemical sprays as part of our sustainable farming. We are always striving to improve for the future, produce the highest quality wine, and protect the land.”

“For me, our wines and estate are the deepest expression of Umbria,” reflects Lungarotti. “I am an Umbrian agronomist turned CEO to run this family estate. We farm organically, which is a deep part of our philosophy. It is important to continually improve in order to pass on our family legacy to the ones who follow.”