Paolo Bea, Montefalco Sagrantino Secco “Pagliaro”

In addition to their five hectares of wine grapes, the Beas grow olives, vegetables, grains, and raise animals as well. It is effectively a self-sustaining organic farm, on which the wine is produced in the most traditional way possible. The “Pagliaro” vineyard sits at about 1,300 feet in altitude and is mostly planted to the Sagrantino grape, which is typically harvested in the second half of October. The Beas are known for long macerations of the grapes on their skins during fermentation—40-50 days—after which this wine is aged for one year in stainless steel; two years in large Slavonian oak casks; and another year in bottle before release. Even with all that “pre-aging” in its home cellar, today’s 2017 is still a dark, brooding, powerfully structured red that gets better over several days open—so don’t rush! It might help to place Sagrantino in an “international” context, to give you a sense of what you’re getting here: The two best analogs we can think of are classic, meaty Cornas