Paolo Bea

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Country of Origin: Italy
Location: Montefalco, Umbria
People: Bea Family, Owners | Giampiero Bea, Winemaker | Giuseppe Bea, Viticulturalist
Viticulture: Practicing Biodynamic

Items

Paolo Bea 2018 'San Valentino' Umbria Rosso IGP Login AG 93
Paolo Bea 2018 'Rosso de Veo' Umbria Rosso IGT Login AG 93 In Stock
Paolo Bea (1.5 L) 2017 Montefalco Sagrantino, Cerrete, DOCG Login — <1 Case
Paolo Bea (3 L) 2017 Montefalco Sagrantino, Cerrete Vineyard DOCG Login — In Stock
Paolo Bea 2017 Montefalco Sagrantino Secco, Cerrete Vineyard, DOCG Login — In Stock
Paolo Bea 2018 Montefalco Sagrantino Secco, Pagliaro Vineyard, DOCG Login AG 95 In Stock
Paolo Bea 2015 'Arboreus' Trebbiano, Umbria Bianco IGT Login AG 93 WA 93 In Stock
Paolo Bea 2019 'Santa Chiara' Pagliaro Vineyard, Umbria Bianco IGT Login AG 92 WA 92 <1 Case
Paolo Bea 2020 'Santa Chiara' Pagliaro Vineyard, Umbria Bianco IGT Login AG 91 In Stock

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.

From Paolo Bea:
“As a child, I learned this craft from my father. Our history and tradition is the source of our knowledge and inspiration. Today, my family is here with me, all working together. Our roots in Montefalco trace back to the 1500's, as documents in the village archives attest to. Through passion sustained and encouraged by my sons, Giuseppe and Giampiero, and also by the irreplaceable presence of Marina, my wife and mother of my children, our family has come to appreciate each other in more profound ways, each day relishing the fruits of our labor at our table. With each passing year, I better understand our land, respecting and caring for it... and at the end of each year extract from it a wine which is totally unique, continually developing, improving, and sustaining our health. With an ever growing conviction, we practice, discover, and appreciate natural winemaking methods that exclude the use of chemicals in the vineyard and artificial stabilizing techniques in the winery. Each season is a new discovery, a chance to apply and evaluate knowledge we have gained in previous years. ”

Media Links
Sprudge: Giampiero Bea of Paolo Bea: The Sprudge Wine Interview
Wine Advocate: Italy, Umbria: Paolo Bea
Grape Collective: Paolo Bea's Extreme-Artisanal Wines
Occasional Thoughts: 2008 Arboreus - Grapes DO grow on Trees

Reviews

  • Paolo Bea 2019 'Santa Chiara' Pagliaro Vineyard, Umbria Bianco IGT
    Vinous
    Rating: 92 (11/29/2022)
    The 2019 Bianco Santa Chiara is a deep golden color with orange hues. It pulls me close to the glass and doesn't let go, wafting up with masses of crushed rock, ginger, peppery dried flowers and exotic citrus. This is a textural animal, soft and silky, yet has a cheek-puckering intensity and an acid/mineral mix that literally sizzles upon the palate. It finishes long and salty in character, leaving pretty inner florals and a concentration of sour melon that resonates throughout the entire experience. The Santa Chiara represents one of the top values from Paolo Bea. It's an old-vine blend of both indigenous and international varieties that goes through 25 days of maceration and is refined entirely in stainless steel for two years.
  • Paolo Bea 2015 'Arboreus' Trebbiano, Umbria Bianco IGT
    Vinous
    Rating: 93 (11/29/2022)
    The 2015 Bianco Arboreus bursts from the glass with a rich and nearly tropical mix of green melon, papaya and sweet mint. It coasts along the palate with glycerol-like textures that are perfectly balanced by saline-mineral tones, as ripe orchard fruits and sweet spices cascade across its juicy acid core. It finishes a bit shorter than anticipated, yet leaves a lasting impression, as the cheeks pucker with tension, and a lemony concentration slowly tapers off. The 2015 Arboreus is the product of a warm vintage, which you feel in its sapidity. It spent 22 days macerating on the skins.
  • Paolo Bea 2018 'San Valentino' Umbria Rosso IGP
    Vinous
    Rating: 93 (10/5/2023)

    Darkly floral and earthy upon opening, the 2018 Rosso San Valentino slowly evolves with hints of crushed ashen stone and dusty dried flowers giving way to crushed black raspberries. The palate dials the energy up high, sleek and racy with vibrant red berry fruits accentuated by rosy inner florals and touches of citrus. It finishes with tremendous length, a licorice tinge, and a coating of fine tannins, framing the experience remarkably well. This is a Rosso San Valentino that will excel upon release but also through medium-term cellaring.

  • Paolo Bea 2018 Montefalco Sagrantino Secco, Pagliaro Vineyard, DOCG
    Vinous
    Rating: 95 (10/5/2023)

    The 2018 Montefalco Sagrantino Pagliaro is coy in the glass, slowly awakening with a mentholated blend of crushed blackberries, sage and flowery underbrush. It flows across the palate with ease, silky and round with bright red and black fruits underscored by salty mineral tones and exotic spice. This leaves a balsamic flourish through the finale, along with crunchy tannins that create a push and pull of youthful tension as hints of dried cherries slowly taper off. While stepping lightly, the 2018 is nearly sultry in style, tempting the imagination with what further maturity will bring.

  • Paolo Bea 2019 'Santa Chiara' Pagliaro Vineyard, Umbria Bianco IGT
    The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 92 (5/4/2023)
    My tasting with Giampiero Bea started off with the 2019 Santa Chiara, a blend of equal parts Grechetto, Malvasia, Garganega, Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The grapes were harvested together on September 24th and fermented as one with 25 days of skin contact. Fruit is sourced from various parcels over 12 hectares of estate vines and three hectares of leased land for a total of 7,320 bottles made in this vintage. The bouquet is rich and creamy with acacia honey, candied chestnut, dried apricot and fresh orchard fruit. The color is saturated, and the wine adds richness to the palate.
  • Paolo Bea 2015 'Arboreus' Trebbiano, Umbria Bianco IGT
    The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 93 (5/4/2023)
    Made with Trebbiano Spoletino, the Paolo Bea 2015 Arboreus sees 22 days of skin maceration and 95 days on the fine lees. Structure is underlined in this vintage that saw very sunny and warm conditions throughout the growing season. There is tannic bite to the wine, but the tannins feel firmly polished instead of feeling dusty, like you sometimes get with skin-macerated whites. To the palate, this full-bodied white is generously textured and creamy with honey, saffron and apricot. The Arboreus vineyard is located eight kilometers from the winery.
  • Paolo Bea 2020 'Santa Chiara' Pagliaro Vineyard, Umbria Bianco IGT
    Vinous
    Rating: 91 (7/1/2023)

    A gorgeous yellow gold, the 2020 Bianco Santa Chiara opens with a wild blend of candied ginger and incense complicating dried nectarines and peaches. This is round yet lifted, full of energy, with orchard fruits and inner floral perfumes that cascade throughout. This finishes with a pleasantly chewy sensation, leaving hints of tropical citrus and spice.

  • Paolo Bea 2018 'Rosso de Veo' Umbria Rosso IGT
    Vinous
    Rating: 93 (7/1/2023)
    The 2018 Rosso de Veo is exotic, mixing crushed stone mineral tones with blackberries and dusty dried flowers. This is cool-toned and racy, sleek and slender, impressing with its vibrancy and saline-tinged wild berry fruits as violet florals cascade toward the close. Grippy Sagrantino tannins linger through the finish, yet the balance here is off the charts, as the 2018 tapers off potent yet still aiming to please. Forty-five days of maceration on the harmonious beauty, which is also finished at a respectable 14% abv. Give this a short stay in the cellar and then reap the rewards.