My tasting with Giampiero Bea started off with the 2019 Santa Chiara, a blend of equal parts Grechetto, Malvasia, Garganega, Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The grapes were harvested together on September 24th and fermented as one with 25 days of skin contact. Fruit is sourced from various parcels over 12 hectares of estate vines and three hectares of leased land for a total of 7,320 bottles made in this vintage. The bouquet is rich and creamy with acacia honey, candied chestnut, dried apricot and fresh orchard fruit. The color is saturated, and the wine adds richness to the palate.

The 2019 Bianco Santa Chiara is a deep golden color with orange hues. It pulls me close to the glass and doesn’t let go, wafting up with masses of crushed rock, ginger, peppery dried flowers and exotic citrus. This is a textural animal, soft and silky, yet has a cheek-puckering intensity and an acid/mineral mix that literally sizzles upon the palate. It finishes long and salty in character, leaving pretty inner florals and a concentration of sour melon that resonates throughout the entire experience. The Santa Chiara represents one of the top values from Paolo Bea. It’s an old-vine blend of both indigenous and international varieties that goes through 25 days of maceration and is refined entirely in stainless steel for two years.