When considering the most soulful and magically unique wines in Italy, the name Paolo Bea always leads the discussion. Their family roots in Umbria's Montefalco region stretch back to the 16th century on this property, now a diverse ecosystem of livestock, vegetables, and fruits.

Five of the fifteen hectares here are devoted to vines, and though the hearty and tannic Sagrantino variety is the focus throughout Montefalco, today we take a close look at the most approachable wine from the estate, the San Valentino.

San Valentino is a unique blend of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, and 15% Montepulciano from a clay-dominant single vineyard at 1,300 feet. Wines from Umbria often stand out for extremely forward fruit personality - the high elevation here adds a dimension of snap and buoyancy that makes this one of the world's most hedonistic, yet refreshing wines.

Harvest of these 50-year-old vines usually occurs at the conclusion of October where phenolic ripeness is perfectly achieved for all three varieties. The grapes are fermented in the traditional manner spending 30+ days macerating on the skins. The wine is then aged for three years in stainless steel, and then one year in bottle prior to release.

The three varieties complement each other magically here. Sangiovese providing high-toned red fruit notes with terrific acidity. The combination of Sagrantino and Montepulciano provides inky blue and black fruits with a firm structure. In the end, sweet cherries, fig, tobacco, dried flowers, and hints of charcoal meld together beautifully.

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