No estate looms larger in the central Italian region of Umbria than Paolo Bea. The Bea family, who trace their Umbrian history back over 500 years, are practically synonymous with the Montefalco appellation. Paolo, a staunchly old-school Italian farmer who speaks such a thick Umbrian dialect that he is almost incomprehensible to outsiders, has been producing incredibly expressive wines using the barest minimum of technology and input for decades—unknowingly becoming a prime representation of the very best of what would become the "natural wine" movement. In the '80's and 90's, the estate was perhaps left behind a bit (depending on whose talking), as the modernization-obsessed Italian market moved in a different direction than Bea's convictions allowed, but for a select few wine-lovers and importers, he carried a very special flame in the world of Italian wine. Over the years, the wine world has realized the lack of verve and energy in the overproduced, modern wines, and thankfully Paolo Bea, and now his son Giampiero, are here to show us a different way. Bea's 'Pipparello' is produced from a vineyard site of the same name, located on a hilltop in Montefalco at 1300 feet elevation. Vines grown here are a minimum of 20 years old, and the final blend of the wine is generally 60% Sangiovese, 25% Montepulciano, and 15% Sagrantino. After fermentation, the wine goes through an extending maturation period in different vessels, with the first year being in stainless steel tank, followed by two years in large oak barrels, before a final year of bottle aging prior to release. Unabashedly wild tasting, with a hauntingly dark blend of blackened herbs, dark flowers, tart cherries, baking spices and pepper, the wine is concentrated and full of fine-grained tannins. 14.5% ABV
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