Organic / Natural
96 points Vinous
Youthfully intense, the 2019 Montefalco Rosso Riserva Pipparello smolders up with a hauntingly dark bouquet of grilled herbs, cloves, flowery undergrowth and dried black cherries. This mixes silken textures with a wonderfully graceful feel, showing vividly pure red berry fruits and a cascade of spices, all offset by a tinge of sour citrus. This puckers the cheeks with concentration and a coating of fine-grained tannins, finishing structured yet with immaculate balance and poise. Rosy inner florals and sour cherry resonate. The Pipparello is always a standout for me from the Bea portfolio, perfectly blending 60% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino and 25% Montepulciano. Bury the 2019 deep in the cellar.
Deep garnet-red in the glass, a brooding melding of red and black fruits and loamy earth. Scents of sappy black cherry, cassis, mulberry, saddle leather, dark spice, and turned earth carry over to a taught, full-bodied palate with powerful structure coming from 40-50 days' fermentation with skins. Riserva level aging (1 yr in stainless steel, 2 years in large oak barrels. All grapes are harvested manually with no fining or filtration. The Bea family's history in the Montefalco area dates to the 1500s, but only in the last 20 years or so have the wines blown up on the international stage. The 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. The entire property encompasses 15 hectares: 5 of which are dedicated to the vineyards, 2 to olives, and the remainder to fruits, vegetables, and grains that are grown.