The 2019 Paolo Bea “Cerrete” Montefalco Sagrantino Secco is not just a wine; it’s a benchmark. Crafted only in select vintages, “Cerrete” is sourced from the highest-altitude vineyard in Montefalco, where cooler, drier conditions elevate Sagrantino to breathtaking heights.
Fermentation begins naturally after a 45-day maceration, followed by 1 year in steel tanks and 43 months in large oak barrels. The result is a wine of profound depth: deep violet in color, robust in tannin, and lifted with elegance. It announces itself from the first aromas and lingers with a persistent, enchanting finish.
Sagrantino is one of the most naturally tannic grape varieties on the planet, capable of aging gracefully for multiple decades. If you’re a seeker of the finest Amarone, Vintage Port, or other full-bodied wonders that can age for nearly forever, this is your next obsession.
Eric Guido of Vinous Media awarded the 2019 Cerrete an extraordinary 97 points, calling it “a wine of profound depth and soul.”
But this wine is more than just a score. It’s a tribute to a family legacy that spans centuries. The Bea family has been rooted in Montefalco since the 1500s, and their wines have long been celebrated for their wild, soulful character and ecological integrity—natural wines before “natural” was a trend.
2024 brought heartbreak to the Bea family, with the passing of Paolo Bea in January, followed by his son Giuseppe just months later. Yet the estate endures. Giampiero Bea, Paolo’s other son and the international face of the winery, continues to carry the torch. Their passing has only deepened the reverence for these wines—now iconic, like artists whose brilliance is immortalized after their death.
Cerrete 2019 is a rare release. A collector’s gem. A restaurant trophy. A piece of living history.
97 Points, Vinous Media:
“The 2019 Montefalco Sagrantino Cerrete is a dark beast of a Sagrantino, bursting from the glass with an aromatic display that reminds me more of food than wine. The bouquet mixes cherry sauce, ginger and clove with hints of seared meat and flowery underbrush. It opens with a pleasant inner sweetness and velvety textures, as balsamic spice complicates a dense wave of ripe red and black fruits. Through it all, zesty acidity maintains a fantastic balance as the 2019 leaves black tea-like tannins and a lingering licorice resonance.”
