Giampiero Bea, Natural Wines, and Sagrantino di Montefalco @ A-16
A group of sommeliers met and tasted with Giampiero Bea at A-16 restaurant in San Francisco. Giampiero lives in the village of Montefalco in Umbria where his family specializes in the Sagrantino grape variety. Sagrantino di Montefalco used to be better known as a passito (sweet) wine but Giampiero's father Paolo, along with Arnaldo Caprai and a handful of others, popularized secco (dry) wines from this dense and tannic red grape variety. The Bea winery works in a natural way and Giampiero was one of the founders of the Viniveri Consorzio, a group of producers that believes in producing wines using natural methods. A question about Giampiero's minimal use of sulfur and volatile acidity (VA) came up with one of the wines. Giampiero responded that "it was a character of the vintage" and added "if every vintage is the same then there is too much manipulation". I'm generally a fan of the movement and I happen to like the wines of many producers who work in this way. I sometimes wish sulfur could be left out of the discussion because it's natural and necessary in my opinion. Giampiero put it candidly "I don't say you have to drink my wine; I like to produce the wine that is good for my health".
Santa Chiara Umbria Bianco 2008 - 20% Garganega, 20% Grechetto, 20% Malvasia, 20% Sauvignon, 20% Chardonnay. Bright orange color. The Santa Chiara was a clear white wine until a few years ago. Giampiero explained that skin-contact white wine was actually the old tradition. The family started making clear wines when Giampiero was 6, because that is what the market demanded. Giampiero has increased the skin contact to its current levels beginning in 2003. Very orangey and blossomy with bitter citrus skin on the palate. Very clean and fresh.
Coenobium 2008 - Giampiero assists nuns from a nearby Cistercian monastery in producing this wine and is mainly produced from Verdicchio. The wine is organically grown and produced without chemicals or sulfites. Some skin contact here but less color than Santa Chiara. Giampiero stressed the importance of mature grapes, no green tannins. Good acidity and freshness here with rich texture.
Arboureous 2008 - This is 100% Trebbiano Spoletino. I didn't catch what was unique about this particular clone of Trebbiano. An orange wine. Giampiero notes that the concept began to change [to skin-contact] in 2003. Vineyard peaches, melon and. tangerine, very floral, orange blossoms, bone marrow, very round on the palate, bitter citrus skin, much more tight, leaner. A little bit of S02 (2 grams) at bottling.
2006 San Valentino Umbria Rosso - 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, 15% Montepulciano. Very deep black sweet fruit. The wine shows some alcohol on the nose. Big wine. Giampiero says that 2006 has good balance. Purple flowers, tobacco. Question is asked about VA and a long discussion ensues. "When wine is made in made in my way then there will sometimes be VA". 2005 San Valentino Umbria Rosso - A warmer vintage than 2006. Darker, sweet tobacco, roast coffee aromas. Great sweet black fruit flavors, tobacco and earth. 2005 Rosso de Veo Umbria Rosso - 100% Sagrantino. Wine from the young vineyard. Doesn't like to use vines for DOCG until 15 years old. 1 year stainless, 2 year in barrel. 3 different vineyards. Owner of Terroir Wine Bar says he was "scared of the 2002 at first but loved it later" says the VA was absorbed in the last year or two. Really dense sweetness, juicy and black. Gripy, dense, very long on the palate. Great complexity for its age.2005 Pipparello Montefalco Rosso Riserva - Very dense nose, vey sweet and black. Great balance on the palate. Very young. Tannins are drying, chalky, chewy. Awesome length. Anise seed, black licorice. Different vineyard than San Valantino. Really wonderful now.2005 Pagliaro Montefalco Sagrantino Secco - Super focused, sweet black fruit, roast coffee, dark chocolate, more meat and iron on the nose than the '04. Stainless steel one year, tannins have greater grip than '04. 2004 Pagliaro Montefalco Sagrantino Secco - Very open and expressive, great perfume, impesssive power density and concentration but tannins seem very resolved. Actually, Noticing more tannin and structure now. Slow to finish malolactic so stayed in tank 2 years before going to wood. Really outstanding.2003 Sagrantino di Montefalco Passito - Very rasiny, sweet; intense prune, vey juicy, licorice. leather. Dried on matts from October to December. Sugar, acidity, and tannin must balance. We must have this with cheese. Giampiero says to "try Sagrantino Secco with the chocolate (!) and that I make the secco tasting in the cellar with my mom's plum tart". Passito is best with chestnuts and cheese. Great with savory food.jessebeckerMS
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