Passito Sagrantino di Montefalco

Paolo Bea dinner at Semo. All wines were prepared by opening and slow-ox, prior to service. Abbreviated notes due to the setting. The wines of Paolo and Giampiero Bea are very special to me and I am grateful to have enjoyed so many of them, over the years. However, the Passito is extremely rare and this is my first encounter. The 2011 pours a garnet color with a most interesting and attractive nose of Castelvetrano olives, dark cherry, salmiakki, and palo santo. I would categorize this as off-dry; certainly not sweet. There’s excellent structure too so that may play a role in my perception of sugar. Perhaps the profile varies from vintage to vintage however, if this is representative, I could see myself going well out of my way to drink this. Brilliant. Drink now through 2036. Bottle No. 1716/3699

Opaque ruby color. Strong nose of concentrated fruit-raisins, prunes, and a hint of chocolate. Great balance of acid and tannins as well.

First off, beautiful dessert wine, gorgeous fruit, impeccable balance. Now to get into the geekiness...what an example of how VA can balance a wine, like it does with balsamic vinegar, lifting and lightening the wine...and tannin, the under-rated sweet wine component.

Stewed red fruit and fig notes.

Poker night accoutrement. #goodluckcharm #umbria #sagrantino

2007. I love Bea very much, so much so I drank both my cellars out of it. Been wanting to try this passito forever and tonight was the time. Awesome dessert wine with great balance of sweet, funk, and acid.

Outstanding unique wine. 2011 vintage is surprisingly light on alcohol but big jammy sweet flavors that could work with savory and sweet flavors

Delicious and concentrated. A little VA but not overwhelming. Evolved over dessert.

Too saccharine at the start, but evolves well over a couple hours (or days). Ripe and round, plums and apples.

Dried into raisinated red fruits but it’s shot through with a tart pomegranate or sour cherry thing. A little toasty. They drink it with their stuffed pigeon here in Montefalco. They don’t consider it a dessert wine. It’s really good.