Collection: Umbria: Paolo Bea

Paolo Bea Winery: A Legacy of Natural Winemaking in Umbria’s Heartland
Located in the medieval village of Montefalco, Umbria, Paolo Bea Winery stands as a testament to centuries of artisanal winemaking and a pioneering force in Italy’s natural wine movement.

The Bea family’s deep connection to Montefalco’s terroir is rooted in agrarian traditions that span generations. Originally farmers cultivating olives, grains, and livestock, Paolo Bea transitioned to commercial winemaking in the 1980s, driven by a desire to preserve the land’s integrity. His approach (eschewing pesticides, herbicides, and synthetic interventions) was revolutionary at the time and laid the groundwork for what is now celebrated as natural winemaking. Today, Paolo’s sons, Giampiero and Giuseppe, continue this legacy, blending ancestral wisdom with innovative practices such as lunar-cycle harvesting and biodiversity-enhancing cover crops.

Vineyards and Terroir
The estate spans 15 hectares, with 5 hectares dedicated to vineyards perched on Montefalco’s sun-drenched slopes. The limestone-clay and gravel soils, combined with a Mediterranean-Alpine climate, create ideal conditions for Sagrantino, Umbria’s signature grape. Representing 60% of plantings, Sagrantino thrives alongside Sangiovese, Montepulciano, and rare white varieties like Trebbiano Spoletino19. Notably, the Arboreus cuvée derives from 250-year-old Trebbiano vines trained on oak trees using the ancient vite maritata method, a nod to pre-industrial farming techniques.

Winemaking: Minimal Intervention, Maximum Expression
Paolo Bea’s wines are crafted with reverence for spontaneity. Grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks without temperature control. Extended maceration up to 60 days for reds and weeks for whites extracts depth while preserving freshness. Aging occurs in neutral Slavonian oak botti or steel tanks, avoiding filtration and fining to retain the wine's living character. This approach yields bottles marked by vibrant acidity, textured tannins, and a distinct sense of place, as seen in the flagship Sagrantino di Montefalco Secco “Pagliaro”, a wine of dark fruit, spice, and earthy complexity.

Iconic Wines
Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG: A 100% Sagrantino powerhouse, aged in steel and oak, offering layers of blackberry, licorice, and balsamic notes.
Pipparello: A blend of Sangiovese, Montepulciano, and Sagrantino, praised for its energy and savory depth.
Arboreus: A skin-contact Trebbiano Spoletino with apricot, marzipan, and spice, reflecting its ancient vine heritage.
Passito: A rare sweet wine from air-dried Sagrantino grapes, balancing sweetness with acidity.

Cultural Impact and Legacy
Paolo Bea’s influence extends beyond Umbria. Co-founder of the Vini Veri consortium, Giampiero Bea has championed transparency in winemaking, advocating for ingredient labeling and organic certification. The estate’s handwritten labels, detailing production methods, embody this ethos of honesty. Despite occasional clashes with DOC regulations, such as the rebellious San Valentino Rosso, which flaunts its “oxidation” as a badge of honour, the Beas remain unwavering in their pursuit of wines that speak to the soul.

Conclusion
Paolo Bea is more than a winery; it is a custodian of Umbria’s winemaking heritage. Each bottle, alive with the pulse of its terroir, invites drinkers to experience the harmony of tradition and innovation. For those seeking wines of pure character, Paolo Bea offers a journey into the heart of Italian natural winemaking, a journey where every sip tells a story of land, family, and passion.

Paolo Bea 酒莊：Umbria 自然酒教父

在 Umbria 中世紀山城蒙特法爾科（Montefalco），Paolo Bea 酒莊屹立逾五世紀，見證手工釀酒傳統與義大利自然酒運動的崛起。自 16 世紀由 Bea 家族經營至今，這座莊園已成為「真實風土」的代名詞，以有機與生物動力法實踐，書寫葡萄酒界的純粹篇章。

歷史淵源與哲學
Bea 家族與蒙特法爾科土地的連結，始於數世紀前的農耕傳統，最初種植橄欖、穀物與畜養牲畜。1980 年代，Paolo Bea 為守護土地完整性，毅然轉向商業釀酒，摒棄農藥、除草劑與人工干預，成為自然釀酒的先驅。如今，其子 Giampiero 與 Giuseppe 延續父業，融合月相採收與覆蓋作物等創新農法，維繫這片土地的生物多樣性。

葡萄園的風土密碼
酒莊 15 公頃土地中，5 公頃為葡萄園，座落蒙特法爾科向陽坡地。石灰岩-黏土與礫石土壤，搭配地中海-阿爾卑斯氣候，為翁布里亞標誌性品種 Sagrantino 創造理想生長環境。該品種佔種植面積 60%，與 Sangiovese、Montepulciano 及稀有白葡萄 Trebbiano Spoletino 共生。其中 Arboreus 酒款源自 250 年老藤 Trebbiano，採用 vite maritata 古法（將葡萄藤纏繞橡樹生長），重現工業化前的農耕智慧。

釀造工藝：極簡干預的藝術
自然發酵：手工去梗後，葡萄於無溫控不銹鋼槽中經原生酵母自發啟動
長時間浸皮：紅酒浸皮達 60 天，白酒數週，萃取風味同時保留鮮活酸度
陳年哲學：於中性斯拉沃尼亞橡木桶（botti）或不銹鋼槽陳年，拒絕過濾與澄清，維持酒液「活生生」的特質
旗艦酒款 Sagrantino di Montefalco Secco "Pagliaro" 即為典範：帶深色水果、辛香料與土壤氣息交織，單寧如蒙特法爾科岩層般堅實卻細膩。

標誌性酒款
Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG：100% Sagrantino，鋼桶與木桶陳年，黑莓、甘草與香醋氣息層疊
Pipparello：Sangiovese、Montepulciano 與 Sagrantino 混釀，以活力與鮮味深度著稱
Arboreus：浸皮釀造的 Trebbiano Spoletino，展現杏桃、杏仁膏與辛香，致敬古藤血統
Passito：風乾 Sagrantino 葡萄釀造的珍稀甜酒，甜度與酸度精妙平衡

文化影響與革新爭議
Giampiero Bea 作為 Vini Veri（真實葡萄酒）聯盟共同創辦人，推動釀酒透明化，主張成分標示與有機認證。酒莊手寫標籤詳述製程，實踐「誠實釀酒」理念。即便曾因 San Valentino Rosso 等叛逆酒款（公然標示「氧化」為榮耀勳章）與 DOC 法規衝突，Bea 家族仍堅持釀造「直擊靈魂」的葡萄酒。

風土遺產的守護者
Paolo Bea 酒莊不只是生產者，更是翁布里亞釀酒文明的活態博物館。每瓶酒皆躍動著風土脈搏，邀飲者體驗傳統與創新的交響。對追求純粹本質的愛酒人而言，這裡的酒液是土地、家族與熱情的三重奏——每一口，都在述說亞平寧山脈的千年故事。

（註：vite maritata 為古羅馬時期葡萄藤纏繞活樹生長的栽培法）