Growers / Italy / Umbria / Paolo Bea

Paolo Bea

Bea’s wines remain singular—boisterous, unabashedly wild expressions of their undulating, sun-drenched hills of origin, each new vintage of which is eagerly anticipated by a legion of loyal clients.

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.

textured background of grapevines

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

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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textured background of dirt

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.

Growers