Producer | Paolo Bea |
Country | Italy |
Region | Umbria |
Subregion | Montefalco |
Varietal | Sagrantino |
Vintage | 2019 |
Sku | 1118756 |
Size | 750ml |
Tasting Notes: The iconic Pagliaro wine is the wine that put the Paolo Bea estate on the map. It is 100% Sagrantino, the fabled local grape of Montefalco, from Pagliaro vineyard, situated at 1300 feet in altitude. This deeply tannic and intensely dense, ripe red is always a blockbuster of purple and black fruits, exotic spices, a backbone of acidity and big tannins for support. The cuvaison extends for forty to fifty days. The wine is then aged for one year in stainless steel, another two years in large Slavonian oak barrels and, finally, spends one more year in bottle (the wine, like all Bea wines, is unfiltered) before release. Annual production from the Pagliaro vineyard is 15,000 to 20,000.
Estate History: References in the archives of Montefalco, the beautiful hill town in Umbria, document the presence of the Bea family in this locality as early as 1500. This tiny estate is the classic Italian fattoria, producing wine, raising farm animals for trade and home consumption and working the land to produce olives, fruits and vegetables. To this day, the Bea family raises and produces much of what they consume on a daily basis.
Paolo Bea, the senior member of the family, is the guiding force behind the production of this series of intense and idiosyncratic wines. He is assisted by his two sons, Giuseppe, who farms the vineyards, and Giampiero, who assists in the vinification and is responsible for all commercial aspects of the winery. The entire property encompasses 15 hectares: 5 of which are dedicated to the vineyards, 2 to olives, and the remainder to the fruits, vegetables and grains that are grown.
Sagrantino is the predominant grape, covering 60% of the vineyard surface. The remaining 40% is planted to Sangiovese and Montepulciano, with a small parcel planted to several white varieties. The vineyards are cultivated organically, all grapes are harvested manually and all wines are bottled without fining or filtration.