Paolo Bea Pagliaro Secco 2018

The 2018 Montefalco Sagrantino Pagliaro is coy in the glass, slowly awakening with a mentholated blend of crushed blackberries, sage and flowery underbrush. It flows across the palate with ease, silky and round with bright red and black fruits underscored by salty mineral tones and exotic spice. This leaves a balsamic flourish through the finale, along with crunchy tannins that create a push and pull of youthful tension as hints of dried cherries slowly taper off. While stepping lightly, the 2018 is nearly sultry in style, tempting the imagination with what further maturity will bring.

The 2018s from Paolo Bea are undeniably pretty, fruit-focused, mid-weight wines showing outstanding purity and an early appeal, making them very easy to appreciate upon release. Giampiero Bea commented that the most significant issue was peronospora (downy mildew), which attacked the canopies and fruit due to the year's wet conditions. As a result, careful selection was necessary and yields were down between 10-15%. The 2018 vintage had an added challenge of high temperatures, yet I don’t find any signs of over-ripeness or underripe tannins. Bea did a fantastic job culling beauty and seductive textures from what I’ve come to know as one of Umbria’s most challenging years. Outside of the 2018s, the 2020 Rosso Cotidie deserves attention, as it blends red and white grapes, Sagrantino and Trebbiano Spoletino in this case. The Cotidie is unassuming yet impossible to ignore, with fantastic depth from the Sagrantino and seductive textures and acidity from the Trebbiano Spoletino. This wine captures the magic of Paolo Bea.