Belcompare 2016 Arnaldo Caprai

Professional reviews

Robert Parker (94)

The 2016 Merlot Belcompare is a new wine from Arnaldo Caprai and a terrific discovery. I tasted number 301 of 6,550 bottles made—big, heavy bottles, by the way—with ample power at 15% alcohol. Very soft and plush, this wine strives to achieve iconic status in the world of Umbrian wines, showing a lot of effort to arrive at these perfectly polished results. It does deliver the goods, with so much dark cherry, leather, tobacco and spice. Intense and full-bodied, the Belcompare is super supple and seamless.

James Suckling (93)

An opulent merlot with aromas of dark plum, black tea, lavender, mocha and sandalwood. It’s full-bodied with firm tannins and a dense, oily texture. Polished and rich with lots of spice and chocolate. Try from 2022.

Decanter (95)

This is just the second vintage of Belcompare Merlot, part of Arnaldo Caprai's Signature Range in collaboration with Michel Rolland. Fruit from spurred cordon-trained vines planted at densities of 7,000-8,000 vines per hectare is aged for 24 months in barrique and at least eight months in bottle. It has a restrained plummy nose with a waft of herbs while in the mouth, fine-grained tannins frame fresh chocolate-inflected black and red fruits. It has a mineral tang on the mid-palate and a long finish showcasing its complex herb, fruit and barrel character. This is a sensationally plush yet refined Merlot that drinks well now but will reward further ageing.