2022 Caprera - Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC Le Vasche (750ml)

Caprera was founded in 2012 in Pietranico, in the Pescara hinterland of Abruzzo, when friends Luca Paolo and Alfonso set out to build a small estate rooted in native varieties. Today the farm covers twenty-two organic hectares split across two plots at roughly 400 meters of elevation, with vines occupying only a modest share of land that also includes woodland, olive groves, and arable fields. A good portion of the estate's vine material was sourced from cuttings at Emidio Pepe's storied vineyards, tying the young project to one of Abruzzo's most respected winemaking lineages.

Le Vasche takes its name from the old stone crushing vats scattered across the property, remnants of a winemaking tradition that predates the estate itself. This Montepulciano is grown on limestone and bluish clay marl soils, which give the grapes a mineral character distinct from the softer expressions found at lower elevation. Farming is organic, and in the cellar Caprera keeps intervention to a minimum, favoring spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts and limiting filtration and clarification to preserve the wine's natural texture and sense of place.

The wine shows fresh red fruit and a well balanced structure, with enough backbone to suggest real aging potential despite its approachable style. Tannins are present but gentle, framing the fruit rather than dominating it, and the finish carries a savory, earthy edge typical of Montepulciano grown in this terrain. It suits grilled lamb, hearty tomato based dishes, or aged pecorino, and rewards a bit of time in the glass to open up.