In 1963, a group of 80 women planted some vines in Lazio, about a ninety minute drive north of Rome. Almost sixty years later, the vines are all grown up. The 80 women who planted are all gone now, but there are still 80 women watching the vines and making wine from them.Those 80 women are Sisters of the Cistercian Order who live and work at the monastery in Vitorchiano. Over those 60 years, little has changed. But a few years ago, there was a single, dramatic change: Giampiero Bea entered the story.The bottles may look slightly familiar. Why? Because of their eerie resemblance to the labels of Paolo Bea. Giampiero is Bea’s son and the current winemaker at the family winery. And it is Giampiero who now works with the eighty nuns.The mark of Paolo Bea is all over these wines, and not just their labels. They have Bea's rare combination of wildness and elegance. They are unique, but not weightily so; they are even playful. In art terms, you might compare these wines to a work of Jasper Johns.
What importer Rosenthal Wine Merchant has to say about this wine...
A blend of the same four grapes (Trebbiano, Malvasia, Verdicchio and Grechetto) but, in this instance, the juice is left to ferment on the lees for a period of two weeks or more, extracting all of the flavors, colors and textures of its fruit. The result is a wine of often deep golden color and penetrating minerality with hints of herbs, particularly anise, and wild flowers. There are approximately 4,000 bottles produced annually of this cuvée, the overwhelming majority of which comes to the USA.
Details
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Grape Variety
Malvasia , Trebbiano , Verdicchio , White Blend
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Vintage
2022
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Size
750ml
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Farming Practice
Organic
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Style
Earthy , Fruity , Spicy
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Sweetness
Dry
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Body
Light Bodied