Landlocked in the center of Italy, Umbria is often overlooked as a source of great wine. The region is best known for Sagrantino, an intensely tannic red wine that demands food to be enjoyed. Arnaldo Caprai helped introduce Sagrantino to the world by utilizing ripe fruit and French oak to produce modern wines that could be more easily compared to Cabernet Sauvignon and other international varietals. However, the Bea family traces its history back to the 1500s and has always been a guardian of traditional Umbrian winemaking values. Paolo Bea achieved fame in the late 20th century by making wine as naturally and with as little intervention as possible. Working the vineyards and harvesting by hand, allowing fermentations to occur spontaneously with natural yeasts, and never fining or filtering the wines are practices Paolo’s sons continue to this day. Giampiero and Giuseppe now manage the estate and continue to craft wines that represent the essence of the Sagrantino grape and soul of Umbria.

The name Trebbiano is used to describe many white grape varietals all over Italy, so it is important to denote that Bea works exclusively with Trebbiano Spoletino. Lapideus comes from an 80-year-old parcel of vines in a cool microclimate that allows for a relatively late harvest. In the cellar, vinification takes place entirely in stainless steel and includes the grapes spending 35 days on the skins. The result is a rare ‘orange’ wine that is built on acidity and freshness rather than extraction and weight. 

Rosso de Véo is made to demonstrate that Sagrantino can in fact be an approachable and charming varietal. Sourced primarily from the youngest vines within the estate’s prized Cerrete vineyard, the grapes are fermented in stainless steel before spending 24 months in large old Slavonian oak botti. This yields a wine that combines powerful fruit with relatively soft tannins to create an elegant expression of Sagrantino.

Montefalco Rosso is an appellation that features Sangiovese instead of the region’s own Sagrantino. Given that Montefalco is on nearly the same latitude as Tuscany’s Montalcino, it is no surprise that Sangiovese also thrives in Umbria. This wine is sourced from Pipparello, a vineyard known for its clay and gravel soils and its 400-meter elevation. The blend is approximately 60% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, and 25% Bacca Rossa. Typically harvested in the middle of October, the wine spends a whopping 44 months in botti before bottling. Pipparello marries the vibrant red fruit and minerality of Sangiovese with Sagrantino’s dark fruit and firm, structured backbone to create a wine that perfectly captures the spirit of Montefalco.