Paolo Bea Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG Passito 2007 375cl
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.
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.
The typical color of the wine is dark red turning to garnet with aging. At the beginning the characteristic taste is sweet, recalling blackerries and persimmon, but after swallowing the tannins leave a pleasant dry and clean aftertaste.
This rare and very special wine, made exclusively from Sagrantino, is harvested late and left to raisin for four months before pressing. As it air dries, a white mold forms that balances and concentrates the acid, sugar and tannins. The grapes, as raisins, contain approximately 30% sugar at this point (January of the following year) and they are then de-stemmed and crushed. Fermentation begins and slowly progresses until the sugar level reaches 16% to 18%; pressing then takes place and the resulting wine carries approximately 90 grams of residual sugar. The wine is then aged in stainless steel for four years or more and then an extra in bottle prior to its commercial release. The Sagrantino Passito is not produced every year and, when it is made, 1000 to 2000 half bottles are produced.
