Pinot Meunier from Champagne $195

The Many Shades of Lambrusco $35

The Trinity of Italian Sparkling Wine $75

A Study in Terroir - Panzano in Chianti $125

Acquerello Proprietary labels $145

Discover Alto Adige $85

From the Cellar - Colgin Cellars IX Estate $1150

From the Cellar - The 2006 Barolo $350

From the Cellar - The Great Crus of Barolo $325

Introduction to Amarone $200

Producer Profile - Gulfi $75

Tuscan Blends $100

Piemonte Other Red varietals $95

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are easily two of the most famous grape varietals in the world so it makes sense that they overshadow Pinot Meunier in Champagne. However, Meunier has played a major role in many of Champagne’s most compelling wines and its prominence continues to grow as more and more grower-producers explore and champion its potential. Grown primarily in the Vallée de la Marne, Pinot Meunier can be crafted to create wines with generous fruit, crisp acidity, and palpable tension.

The Moussé family has been growing Pinot Meunier in the village of Cuisles since 1750. The primarily clay soils yield wines of ample body, but a small percentage of schist in the subsoil provides a strong mineral undertone that Moussé strives to showcase. Vinification in stainless steel accentuates the wine’s minerality and acidity but malolactic fermentation adds a soft, almost creamy texture that allows them to forgo adding dosage. The purity of this wine shows that in the hands of a skilled winemaker, Pinot Meunier can express the terroir of Champagne just as eloquently as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can.

Laherte Frères was established in 1889, but it was when Aurélien Laherte took over in 2005 that the winery started its stratospheric rise to fame. With vineyards spread across the eastern edge of the Vallée de la Marne, Laherte is able to create multiple exciting expressions of Pinot Meunier. This rosé is pure Meunier but 60% of the wine is vinified white, which provides the wine’s acidity and minerality. 10% is vinified red, adding color and power, and the last 30% is macerated on the skins to develop color, texture, and fruit. Dosage of only 2.5 grams per liter results in a rosé that manages to be vibrantly fruity yet refreshingly dry.

We recently offered a Christophe Mignon trio that sold out so quickly it helped inspire this week’s Pinot Meunier trio. Despite cultivating a mere 6.3 hectares of vines, Mignon makes a wide range of wines, so for this trio we are pleased to feature a wine that we haven’t presented before. The fact that only 480 bottles were produced adds to our excitement! ADN de Meunier, a play on the DNA of Meunier, is an assemblage rosé, meaning it is based on white wine with 16-20% red wine added to provide color and intensify the wine’s concentration. Mignon’s style is decidedly vinous, showcasing depth and power and further illustrating the many facets of Pinot Meunier.

Along with Chianti and Soave, Lambrusco is easily one of Italy’s most misunderstood wines. In the 1970s, a deluge of sweet, unbalanced, soda-like Lambrusco flooded the American market and the wine’s reputation has yet to recover. At its best though, Lambrusco can be an immensely delicious and affordable dry sparkling wine. While enjoyable on its own as a refreshing beverage on a hot summer day, Lambrusco’s versatility with food is what makes it a world-class wine. From salumi to pizza to pasta, the gastronomic joy Lambrusco brings will make you wish you had discovered it sooner. While it may be easy to fall in love with Lambrusco, understanding it can be quite a challenge. Lambrusco is the name of a wine and a family of grapes grown around Modena in Emilia-Romagna, and this trio presents the three most common varieties and explains what makes each one distinctive.

Sorbara is the lightest Lambrusco in both color and concentration. Known for its pale pink hue, floral aromatics, and racy acidity, Sorbara drinks like a very dry sparkling rosé. Founded in 1926, Paltrinieri was the first winery to bottle a mono-varietal Sorbara. Hand-harvested from a single vineyard called Il Cristo, Leclisse is Paltrinieri’s flagship wine and an absolute benchmark for what Lambrusco di Sorbara can achieve.

Medici Ermete was founded in 1890 and remains a family-owned winery to this day. Arte e Concerto is their finest wine and it is made exclusively with the Lambrusco Salamino varietal. As you might guess, Salamino is named after salame because the two are so commonly enjoyed together. Characterized by a brilliant ruby color and juicy red berry flavors, Salamino’s fresh fruit is perfectly balanced by its bubbles and acidity.

Arguably the most prominent type of Lambrusco, Grasparossa di Castelvetro is prized for its inky purple color and tremendous concentration. Massive fruit is balanced not only by bubbles and acidity, but also by ripe tannins that allow Grasparossa to stand up to richer fare like pasta with ragù. Since 1860, Cleto Chiarli has been one of the best proponents of Grasparossa and there may be no better example than their single vineyard bottling, Vigneto Cialdini.

Italians love their bubbles and while every region in the country makes some form of sparkling wine, this Trio highlights the three most popular and successful styles of Italian bubbly. First, it is important to understand the two main methods for producing bubbles. Both involve grapes being fermented into base wine, but the processes diverge after this first step. The second fermentation is what creates the bubbles in sparkling wine, and in the Charmat Method, or Metodo Martinotti in Italian, this happens in large tanks before the wine is bottled under pressure. This makes relatively large bubbles that have a delightfully frothy character. The Champagne Method, or Metodo Classico in Italian, requires the second fermentation be carried out in every individual bottle. This laborious process results in fine bubbles and a smooth creamy texture. Both styles produce delicious distinctive wines that are worth seeking out.

Prosecco has become immensely popular in recent years, but unfortunately many of the brands that dominate the market are very commercial and have little connection to the land. The Sorelle Bronca are two sisters who represent the smaller, more artisanal side of Prosecco. No wine better demonstrates this than Particella 68, a steep, hand-farmed single vineyard located just meters away from Valdobbiadene’s famed Cartizze zone. In the cellar, the Charmat Method is employed but only one fermentation takes place, transforming grapes into sparkling wine in one swift process. While most Prosecco is quite sweet and falls into the Dry or Extra Dry categories, there is no sugar added to Particella 68 and it is bottled as Brut, making it significantly less sweet than most Prosecco found in the market.

Trentino is a region often overshadowed by its neighbor to the north, Alto Adige. While the latter may produce a wider variety of wines, Trentino specializes in making sparkling wine in the Metodo Classico. Located in the hills outside the town of Trento, this high-elevation terroir is a cool climate that is perfectly suited to growing grapes with high acidity and low alcohol. Ferrari’s calling card is their Trento Brut NV, which is 100% Chardonnay vinified entirely in stainless steel. It spends at least three years on the lees to develop a richer texture to balance the wine’s crisp acidity.

Located on the south shore of Lombardia’s Lago d’Iseo, Franciacorta and its Metodo Classico sparkling wines are Italy’s answer to French Champagne. Contadi Castaldi’s Franciacorta combines 80% Chardonnay with 10% Pinot Bianco and 10% Pinot Nero. This blend is fermented in stainless steel and then rests for 7 months in French oak barriques before spending approximately two years on the lees. Rich and round in texture while delivering fresh floral notes and lively bubbles, this wine is the perfect introduction to the sparkling wines of Franciacorta.

Although technically a frazione of Greve in Chianti, Panzano is one of the most important and storied terroirs in Chianti Classico. Located just north of the geographic center of the appellation, Panzano is a very diverse village when it comes to terroir. However, the best wines unquestionably come from the Conca d’Oro and its environs. The Golden Shell is a south-facing amphitheater that yields some of the ripest and most complex wines in all of Tuscany. This Trio presents three wines that demonstrate the greatness Panzano can achieve and why its terroir is worth studying.

Le Cinciole is a small farm just north of Panzano’s Conca d’Oro. Vineyards ranging from 430-500 meters in elevation represent some of the highest in the village, which results in a brighter, more elegant expression of Sangiovese. Vinification includes 12 months in 20-hectoliter casks of French oak followed by 12 months in cement tanks. Gorgeous floral aromatics give way to bright red fruit, fresh acidity, and soft tannins in a Chianti Classico that is all about finesse and balance.

Known for producing a powerful style of Chianti Classico, Fontodi is justifiably one of the most famous wineries in the region. A large part of Fontodi’s success can be attributed to their vineyards, the majority of which lie in the heart of the Conca d’Oro and produce rich, concentrated Sangiovese. Vinification in a mix of small and large old French oak barrels allows ripe red Sangiovese fruit to shine while sweet tannins frame a long, mouthwatering finish.

Located just across a valley from Fontodi, Castello dei Rampolla is a winery that has taken full advantage of the Conca d’Oro’s heat by embracing Bordeaux varietals since the 1970s. They make two stunning blends and even their Chianti Classico employs a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, a duo that adds dark fruit and supple tannins to their potent Sangiovese. Fermentation in concrete and aging in a variety of oak barrels accentuates the Conca d’Oro’s unique ripeness in a wine that could not be made anywhere but in Panzano.

Over the past 30 years we have had the pleasure of developing wonderful relationships with countless wineries, importers, and distributors, so we are fortunate to have access to a seemingly never-ending amount of incredible wine. One of our greatest joys is sharing new discoveries from our travels or old favorites from our award-winning cellar.

The Acquerello Wine Experience enables wine lovers to enjoy our selections from the comfort of their own homes. Every week we present a focused selection of three bottles meant to allow drinkers to explore a particular theme. Three Nebbiolos from different growing areas or a spread of crisp, refreshing whites from indigenous Italian varietals are examples of past Trios. Some themes are recurring: Producer Profiles highlight a range of wines from one winery, our Discover series focuses on the diversity of a particular region, and From the Cellar represents an opportunity to procure a Trio of wines that have been aging in the Acquerello cellars for 10+ years.

Lastly, we take great pride in offering a wide range of themes and prices to ensure there is always something for everyone to enjoy!

Located in the Dolomite Mountains of northeastern Italy, Alto Adige was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the end of World War I. Also known as Südtirol, the region is bilingual to this day, and Austria’s influence is still strongly felt in the local wines. However, Alto Adige does have some varietals it can call its own, and this Trio is an introduction to three of its most charming and representative wines.

Kerner was created in Germany in 1929 when August Herold crossed Riesling with Schiava, a light red varietal also known as Trollinger and Vernatsch. Kerner has since found a home in Alto Adige’s northeastern Valle Isarco subzone, an area where fresh, aromatic white varietals thrive. Best compared to dry Riesling, Köfererhof’s Kerner offers an alluring nose of flowers and ripe stone fruit. The wine’s soft and round texture is balanced by tense acidity, and tart citrus notes lead into a vein of minerality that carries the wine to a long, resounding finish.

St. Magdalener is a small appellation in the hills just outside Bolzano that specializes in Schiava Grossa, a red varietal that makes mid-weight wines with bright fruit and spicy, savory undertones. It is common to blend a small percentage of Lagrein (more on that soon) to increase Schiava’s structure, and Franz Gojer adds roughly 5% to his blend. Both varietals are vinified in stainless steel and the result is a vibrant red combining red berry flavors with notes of wild herbs and tea leaves in a wine that begs to be enjoyed on warm summer evenings.

With a history traced back to 1097, Lagrein is truly Alto Adige’s most important red varietal. Similar to a hypothetical cross between Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, it makes dark, powerful red wines with an underlying iron-like minerality. Due to the valley’s relatively warm microclimate, the best Lagrein ripens around Bolzano, and Ansitz Waldgries’s vineyards are in the heart of this zone. The Lagrein spends 20 days on its skins before ageing in large old oak casks from 35-45 hectoliters in size. This allows the purity of the grape’s black and blue fruit to shine, while Lagrein’s tannin and minerality make it a perfect companion to summer barbecue season.

One of Napa Valley’s original cult Cabernets, Colgin Cellars was founded in 1992, but it was in 1998 that Ann Colgin purchased a 125-acre parcel overlooking Lake Hennessey on Pritchard Hill that would come to be known as IX Estate. The property was carved from an ancient lava flow marked by rocky reddish clay soils and 20 acres of vines were planted in 2000, ranging from 1100-1400 feet in elevation. The first wine bottled was the 2002 vintage, and over nearly 20 years we have been fortunate to enjoy enough exhilarating bottles that we can definitively declare that Colgin’s IX Estate is consistently one of the most complex and complete cellar-worthy Cabernets in Napa Valley.

The 2008 IX Estate is 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot. The 2008 vintage was a drought year and the hot and dry conditions resulted in significantly lower than average yields. The Cabernet was harvested after a respite from the heat in September that produced ripe tannins and complex flavors. Bright red fruit is balanced by savory herbal notes and long, silky tannins.

With just the right amount of rain and minimal heat spikes, the 2009 growing season was relatively uneventful and produced beautifully balanced wines. 69% Cabernet Sauvignon is complemented by 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot. Soaring aromatics give way to dark red fruit, but this vintage is defined by minerality, as gravel, graphite, and crushed rocks deliver a long, seamless finish.

Easily the coolest vintage of this trio, 2010 allowed for optimum ripening and development in the vineyard. 63% Cabernet Sauvignon with 20% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot, this blend comes across as elegantly understated. High-toned aromatics include notes of menthol and sweet red fruit, while in the mouth, the wine’s voluptuous fruit is framed by perfectly ripe and harmonious tannins.

The 2006 vintage has been hailed a modern classic, and now at 15 years old, our patience has rewarded us with impeccably balanced wines that are entering what should be a very long drinking window. A hot summer was mercifully tempered by timely rain in August and September before temperatures cooled down towards the end of the growing season, allowing growers to harvest well into October. The vintage combines ripe fruit with firm tannins and serious structure. This trio explores the vintage through the lens of three wineries that, by picking very ripe grapes in the vineyard and utilizing small French oak barriques in the cellar, excel at producing a flashy, opulent style of Barolo that will satisfy your inner sybarite.

Unquestionably one of the best vineyards in La Morra, the Brunate vineyard is known for its enveloping dark fruit and deep notes of balsamic. Mario Marengo ages his Brunate in French oak barriques, one quarter of which are new. The wood is present in the wine’s youth, but with time in the bottle the generous fruit easily absorbs the oak and creates a dark, spicy Barolo accented with flavors like leather, coffee, tar, and licorice.

Bricco Fiasco is a southwest-facing vineyard in Castiglione Falletto that is not as famous as it should be simply because it is surrounded by Grand Cru sites like Monprivato, Rocche di Castiglione, and Villero. But make no mistake, Bricco Fiasco is a special vineyard, and in the capable hands of the Scavinos at Azelia, it can produce stunning wines. Two years in 20% new French oak barriques yielded a wine with dark red fruit, sweet tobacco, and a vein of minerality that is the hallmark of Bricco Fiasco.

Marco Parusso is one of the most progressive winemakers in the Langhe, constantly experimenting and exploring the region’s possibilities. Le Coste and Mosconi are two vineyards in Monforte d’Alba, a village known for producing lush, concentrated Barolos. Parusso picks late and encourages quick, hot fermentations that yield wines with bright, lifted aromatics. The ripe fruit can easily handle vinification in new French oak barriques, which add spice and fine-grained tannins to this intensely hedonistic Barolo.

Historically, Barolo was always blended from multiple vineyards, both to mitigate risk and to create more balanced wines. But in the 1960s, some astute winemakers realized certain vineyards were consistently able to create complex wines that could easily stand alone, and so the single-vineyard revolution in Barolo was born. This Trio highlights three growers who own parcels in some of Barolo’s greatest vineyards and age their wines in large old casks, a practice that truly allows the pedigree and terroir of these magnificent crus to shine through.

A long southeast-facing hillside in the village of Barolo itself, Cannubi has been one of the most storied vineyards in the region since 1752. A high percentage of sand in the soil makes Cannubi unique, and great Barolo from this site combines an intoxicating perfume with ripe fruit and supple tannins. While the original Cannubi vineyard is in the middle of the hill, there are now five vineyards that utilize the Cannubi name. Not all Cannubi is created equal, and the best parts are unquestionably the original Cannubi and Cannubi Boschis, two contiguous vineyards that share virtually the same exposition and soil. Francesco Rinaldi’s holdings overlap these two crus and because regulations prohibit labels from naming multiple crus, they name their Barolo Cannubbio. It captures the essence of Cannubi, marrying lifted aromatics and a silky texture to create a supremely elegant Barolo.

While La Morra can boast many remarkable vineyards, Brunate is certainly the village’s crowning jewel. Although Brunate is located just one ridge north of Cannubi and shares a similar southeastern exposition, the soil is mostly clay and the microclimate is significantly warmer. This leads to Barolos of depth and power that are commonly marked by a distinctive balsamic note even in their youth. Marcarini’s prime plot is in the middle of the hill and faces due south. This combination perfectly demonstrates Brunate’s terroir, displaying dark fruit, balsamic flavors, and a deep, powerful finish.

Barolo aficionados know that Cerretta has long been one of Barolo’s notable crus, but it is only in the last ten years that its greatness has been widely recognized. Recent acquisitions by high-profile producers like Altare and Giacomo Conterno have certainly put Cerretta on the map, but Schiavenza has been working with the vineyard since the 1950s. Located in the northern sector of Serralunga d’Alba, Cerretta contributes to the village’s reputation for making wines of structure and power. Schiavenza’s parcel is located in the best part of this large cru, an area known as Bricco, which is the top of the hill and enjoys a southwestern exposure. While its power can be compared to Brunate, a high percentage of limestone in Cerretta’s soil yields wines with bright red fruit that is a complex contrast to the wine’s deep savory notes of tar and leather.

Located just outside Verona in Italy’s Veneto region, Valpolicella, or ‘valley of many cellars’ in Latin, has been a noteworthy area for wine production since the time of the Roman Empire. Indigenous grapes like Corvina, Rondinella, and Oseleta were historically blended together after being dried to produce more concentrated wines. The appassimento method has been used to make rich sweet wines for millennia, but it was not until the 1950s that one of these wines was fermented dry. So while Amarone may be famous today, its history is relatively short in the context of Italian wine.

To make Amarone, grapes are harvested late in the growing season and brought to well-ventilated drying rooms called fruttai. Here, the grapes are gently laid out on bamboo racks and left to dry for 3-4 months. The grapes lose 30-50% of their weight during this time, thereby concentrating their flavor and sugar content. This appassimento technique precedes long macerations and years of ageing in oak, and the resulting wines have high natural alcohol levels and intense fruit yet finish surprisingly dry. Amarone is an age-worthy wine with astounding complexity that combines sweet dark fruit with spices, notes of bitter chocolate, and velvety tannins, and this trio highlights three of the appellation’s benchmark producers.

The Allegrini family has been a prominent winemaking family in Valpolicella since the 16th century, and grapes from the vineyards they have acquired over the centuries are blended together to create their flagship Amarone. The Allegrini style favors elegance over power, featuring a soft, smooth texture with surprisingly fresh acidity. Ripe red fruit flavors and floral aromas are front and center, while subtle notes of winter spices and coffee add to the wine’s complexity.

Founded in 1960, Zenato is another classic name in Valpolicella. Their opulent Amarone represents a stylistic counterpoint to Allegrini. Dark fruit like black cherries and plums combine with notes of chocolate and balsamic to create a decadent expression of the potential of the appassimento process, while the wine’s lush, creamy texture is both hedonistic and luxurious.

Tommaso Bussola took over his uncle’s vineyards in the mid-1980s and while he was once a rising star in Valpolicella, his position amongst the region’s elite is now undeniable. If Allegrini is about elegance and Zenato is about opulence, Bussola is about power and intensity. Super-concentrated dark red fruit is accented by sweet spices while ripe tannins are easily enveloped by the wine’s sheer density. Despite the wine’s richness and potency, Bussola manages to deliver an impeccable balance that represents the pinnacle of Amarone della Valpolicella.

Although Etna’s recent rise to fame has captured much of the public’s attention, Nero d’Avola has long been Sicily’s most important red grape and no winery has done more to promote the varietal than Gulfi. Also known as Calabrese, Nero d’Avola is known for generous dark red fruit that is commonly framed by soft tannins and accented by spicy notes and aromas of wild aromatic herbs. One of the varietal’s best attributes is its ability to withstand hot and dry weather while maintaining its acidity, so Nero d’Avola thrives in the arid climate of southeastern Sicily. With vineyards all over this part of the island, Gulfi captures the varietal’s potential from multiple points of view, and this Trio highlights three distinct terroirs that demonstrate Nero d’Avola’s enduring greatness.

Just west of Ragusa, Vittoria’s gentle rolling hills are home to Frappato, a varietal that offers floral aromatics with bright red fruit and fresh acidity. It is commonly blended with Nero d’Avola in the Cerasuolo di Vittoria appellation, and Gulfi’s rendition includes 30% Frappato and 70% Nero d’Avola in a wine that clearly displays the latter’s more elegant side. Vinification in stainless steel yields a vibrant red wine that is immensely enjoyable when served with a slight chill on a balmy summer evening.

To the northeast is Chiaramonte Gulfi, the winery’s namesake town. This terroir could be considered a Premier Cru for Nero d’Avola, as the wines are more powerful than those made in Vittoria but still offer generous fruit and soft tannins in a relatively hedonistic style. Vinification in used French oak barriques and tonneaux contributes structure and accentuates Nero d’Avola’s subtle spiciness.

The undisputed Grand Cru area for Nero d’Avola is located near Pachino in the extreme southeast of Sicily. Gulfi expresses this terroir through four single-vineyard Nero d’Avolas, each revealing characteristics that make them distinctive. Although it is the farthest from the coast, NeroBaronj is planted on limestone soils only 30 meters above sea level, so the influence of the sea is undeniable. Sweet spices and dried flowers emerge on the nose, while in the mouth, juicy red fruit is balanced by fresh salinity, a vein of chalky minerality, and fine-grained tannins.

Blending has always been an integral aspect of winemaking in Tuscany but a lack of clearly defined regulations means this category is essentially the Wild West of Italian wine. A lack of tradition and the ability to experiment freely means the market is filled with delicious, interesting blends. This Trio highlights indigenous varietals in their native land, international varietals that are flourishing in a new home, and how the two can be combined to create a wine that expresses terroir in a new and exciting way. All three are perfect examples of how the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts in these benchmark Tuscan blends.

Located in Suvereto, Montepeloso is a 6-hectare estate run by Fabio Chiarelotto. He has always striven to craft wines of elegance and finesse, which is a lofty goal given the abundant warmth and sun this part of Tuscany enjoys. While most of his neighbors focus on Bordeaux varietals, Chiarelotto highlights indigenous varietals in his most original wine, Eneo, which is mostly Sangiovese with a large percentage of Montepulciano and a smaller proportion of Alicante (Grenache) rounding out the blend. Eneo combines Sangiovese’s brightness and acidity with Montepulciano’s dark and powerful structure, while Alicante provides generous juicy red fruit.

La Massa’s Giampaolo Motta farms 27 hectares in Panzano’s Conca d’Oro, which is the hottest subzone of Chianti Classico. This warmth allows Bordeaux varietals to thrive, and the namesake wine deftly blends Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon into a core of Sangiovese. Vinification that includes short fermentations and primarily old oak barrels allows the each grape’s purity to shine. Sangiovese’s acidity and bright aromatics are balanced by the Bordeaux varietals, which add complexity through subtle notes like leather, cedar, tobacco, and more obvious dark fruit in this luscious and seamless blend.

Bolgheri is literally a stone’s throw from the Mediterranean Sea and this proximity creates an ideal terroir for Bordeaux varietals. Warmer than Bordeaux but not as hot as Napa Valley, Bolgheri offers the perfect middle ground for grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. Volpolo comes from Podere Sapaio’s 25 hectares of vines in the heart of the appellation and the wine clearly demonstrates the balance between powerful dark fruit, subtle savory notes, and velvety tannins.

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.