Wine Portfolio / Montefalco Sagrantino Secco, “Pagliaro”

Paolo Bea

Montefalco

Montefalco Sagrantino Secco, “Pagliaro”

SKU BPSS

The fabled local grape of Montefalco is the Sagrantino and the Pagliaro vineyard, situated at 1,300 feet in altitude, is dedicated in large part to this grape variety. The harvest of Sagrantino normally occurs during the second half of October. The cuvaison extends for forty to fifty days. The wines 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 bottles.

SKU: BPSS Category: Red

At a Glance
In the Vineyard
In the Cellar
In the Glass

APELLATION
DOC Sagrantino di Montefalco

UVAGGIO
Sagrantino (100%)

AVERAGE ANNUAL PRODUCTION
15,000-20,000 bottles

AVERAGE ALCOHOL BY VOLUME
15%

AVERAGE RESIDUAL SUGAR
< 5 g/l

PARCEL NAMES, SLOPES, AND LOCATIONS
From the the Pagliaro vineyard, which faces south and southwest at 1,300 feet above sea level

SOIL TYPES AND COMPOSITIONS
Limestone-clay and gravel

VINE AGE, TRAINING, AND DENSITY
Trained in Cordon, vines are at least 20 years old

AVERAGE YIELDS
Controlled through severe winter pruning and debudding, yields range widely vintage to vintage

AVERAGE HARVEST DATE AND TYPES
Manual, usually in late October

FERMENTATION
After crushing and destemming, wine ferments spontaneously in stainless-steel tanks. Cuvaision lasts 40-50 days

PRESSING
Vertical basket press

TIME ON LEES
c. 12 months

MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION
Spontaneous, in tank following alcoholic fermentation

ÉLEVAGE
c. 12-24 months in stainless-steel tanks followed by 24 months in large Slavonian oak botti

PRESS WINE
Blended after malolactic

FINING AND FILTRATION
Unfined and unfiltered

SULFUR
No added sulfur, with 50-75 mg/l total sulfur

Bea produces perhaps his most renowned wine from pure Sagrantino grown on the prized hilltop site of Pagliaro, situated at 1300 feet above sea level in Montefalco proper. The only wines that approach Bea’s in that regard are perhaps the most unsculpted Syrah-based wines of the Northern Rhône, but even those feel more constrained compared to top vintages of Pagliaro. Similarly large in scale to the Rosso de Veo, this actually presents with greater precision and nuance, its overall attack more subtle but ultimately no less impactful—direct evidence of a great terroir translated with consummate skill.

Description

Description

Santa Chiara, Umbria Bianco: A white wine produced from Grachetto, Malvasia, Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Garganega, in approximately equal proportions, planted in the “Pagliaro” vineyard, a site with alternating layers of gravel and clay at 1300 feet above sea level with both east and southwest facing parcels. After crushing, the juice spends at least two weeks macerating on its lees; sulfur is never added. Fermentation occurs in small stainless steel vats at low temperatures. Two rackings are done early in the fermentation process to remove the heavy deposits and a third is done after three weeks. This wine is then left on the fine lees in stainless steel for one year before being bottled. Approximately 4500 bottles of wine are produced annually.

About 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.

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Portfolio

Wine Portfolio

Paolo Bea

Montefalco Sagrantino Secco, “Pagliaro”

At a Glance

In the Vineyard

In the Cellar

In the Glass