Umbria in My Glass, Decisions on My Mind
I let Paolo Bea's 2019 San Valentino Umbria Rosso show me where to go next.
Paolo Bea San Valentino Umbria Rosso 2019
Varieties: Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Sagrantino
Region: Montefalco, Umbria, Italy
Producer: Paolo Bea
Costs: $60-$65
Missive: Shooting From the Hip With Sagrantino
This will be a night of unfiltered thoughts. I appreciate the idea of shooting from the hip. There have been some big life movements as of late. When it rains, it pours, or so they say. Well, it’s been a damn thunderstorm recently. But what choice do we have? We grab our umbrellas, fortify our hearts with some Sagrantino, and plunge ahead. That’s all you can do in this world. Go, go, go. However, to really move ahead with a clear conscience, you need to set aside time for reflection. I think that is what I appreciate about the idea of a vino di meditazione.
To consciously set aside time for a wine of purpose. A wine to contemplate at first, which then allows you to turn inward and contemplate various aspects of your own life. I mean, one of the greatest Greek historians alludes to this very idea. The Greek historian Herodotus said the Persians debated once sober and once drunk. Heck, even the ancients had to look at their lives from multiple angles. Sometimes, that presence of liquid courage can shift your perspective on a matter. It unleashes something in you, or rather, it puts a spotlight on something and amplifies it. Good or bad, you must confront it.
Well, it’s mostly good (?) this time around. The wine is good, things have been addressed, and now we wait to see where the chips fall. Heck, I am going to Italy in April to travel around and see vineyards. I am confirmed for another harvest with Bakkanali in the fall. I did a tasting for my uncle and his friends, which turned out spectacular. Things are good for the most part, folks. This is all a process of talking it out. But let’s move on to the wine. What is the wine that is driving this whole thought process? It is none other than the ‘San Valentino Umbria Rosso’ from the iconic Paolo Bea.
The ‘San Valentino Umbria Rosso’ is just one bottling from Paolo Bea, the famed Umbrian producer. Umbria is such an interesting case in the wine world. It is literally next door to one of the most iconic wine regions on the planet, Tuscany, but it receives a minuscule amount of attention. Ask the average consumer if they know Chianti. Check. Then ask them if they have heard of Sagrantino or Montefalco. Ehh, the hands will diminish rapidly. But we should provide information and examples to generate more excitement for this region. For lovers of earthy, tannic, rustic reds, you need look no further than Montefalco. Montefalco Rossos and Sagrantino-based wines may provide some of the best QPR for the red wine category.
The ‘San Valentino’ opens with dried dark fruit. This is a highly aromatic and intense red wine. The blending of three different grapes gives a balance of fruit, earthiness, and oak-influenced notes. There are clearly defined layers to this wine. Menthol-coated blackberries and dried cherries come to mind at the beginning. There is an overall balance to the wine, but it is a lot to take in at once. The Montepulciano gives you an abundance of dark fruit. Sangiovese comes in next with its dark cherry and balsamic notes. The presence of Sagrantino, with a couple years of oak aging, results in this menthol, cacao, and light vanilla note. It’s like Christmas in a mug on a winter morning, but bottled up as a red wine from Umbria.
The genius of Paolo Bea shines through on the palate as well. The wine is complex, coming in at 14.5%, yet it remains lifted from the initial sip to the finish. This is medium-bodied PLUS, shall we say, but it does not hit that 100% Sagrantino intensity. You are certainly not chewing through this wine at any point. The percentage of Montepulciano gives this wine the right amount of juiciness and playfulness. Also, when you drink the ‘San Valentino’, you immediately come to the conclusion that Paolo Bea is either harvesting these grapes early or he is sourcing them from a high-altitude vineyard site. There is a tangible energy and acidity to the whole thing that keeps the wine pulsing. Often, when you begin to throw out notes like coffee, or allspice, I begin to raise my eyebrows. In my experience, those are the wines that can often be askew, favoring the heavy side. However, that is not always the case.
One of the most exciting things is the prospect of seeing Montefalco in the near future. I have the opportunity to travel to Italy at the end of April. A tour of southern and central Italy in the springtime. Campania, Puglia, Abruzzo, Umbria e Toscana. A business trip, so to speak. A study in gastronomy. A return to the old stomping grounds in Montalcino. A clashing of worlds that will be one for the ages. This is one of the beautiful things about the world of wine: the ability to see the world and connect to various cultures in a specific way. Tonight was a mental journey into the wines of Umbria while fantasizing about my upcoming trip. To eat a pork-based red sauce alongside this wine, while overlooking the fortified town of Montefalco, would be a match made in heaven. That is what I am trying to explore at this point in my life. So there you have it, folks. Explore Umbrian wine, book that trip to Italy while you can, and contemplate your life with a glass of wine or two under your belt. Clarity can come at the most random times, and Sagrantino is often involved.
Hard seasons shape what’s next. Big decisions rarely come with perfect timing. But, a good glass of wine helps, too. 😁❤️🍷
Perhaps leading a small group tour is in your future? 🤩🍷