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.
Father and son; Paolo and Giampiero Bea.
Farming
Certified organic, some biodynamic practices
Treatments
Copper-sulfate only, cover crops sown between the vines
Ploughing
Annual ploughing to promote vineyard health
Soils
Limestone-clay and gravels
Vines
Trained in Cordon (Arboreus vines are trained up trees), vines for Pipparello and Cerrete are at least 20 years old. San Valentino vines are 50 years old. Vines for Arboreus and Lapideus are over 80 years old
Yields
Controlled through severe winter pruning and debudding
Harvest
Entirely manual, late September to late October
Sourcing
Entirely estate fruit
Fermentation
After total destemming, wines ferment spontaneously in stainless-steel tanks without temperature control. Cuvaison lasts 35-60 days
Extraction
Red wines see punchdowns during fermentation
Chaptalization
None
Pressing
Vertical basket press
Malolactic Fermentation
Spontaneous, following alcoholic fermentation
Élevage
Wines age between 12 months and 5 years in stainless-steel tanks and large Slavonian oak botti
Extraction
Wines remain on their fine lees until assemblage prior to bottling
Chaptalization
All wines are unfined and unfiltered
Pressing
Applied only at bottling if necessary, with 40-55 mg/l total sulfur
The Bea family at home in Montefalco.
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The vineyards are cultivated organically, all grapes are harvested manually and all wines are bottled without fining or filtration.
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.
