Located in the beautiful hill-top village of Montefalco in Umbria the 15-hectare Paolo Bea Winery is one of the finest in Italy. Although the Bea family have been in the region since the 15 th century, the winery was only founded in 1980 and Paulo remains committed to retaining old fashioned techniques and making wines that are a true reflection of the surrounding terroir. Staunchly artisanal, with much of the work done by hand without the aid of modern technology, the wines are raised without pesticides or herbicides and are robust and complex. The Pipparello vineyard, after which this wine is named, sits at 1300 feet above sea level. The soil is clay and gravel and the vines are at least 20 years old. A blend of 60% Sangiovese, 25% Montepulciano and 15% Sagrantino, the wine spends 12 months in stainless steel tanks, followed by 2 years in oak and 1 year in bottle before release.