&nbsp;

Paola Bea is a legendary figure in the world of Italian wine, particularly in Umbria. The family is renowned for their commitment to natural winemaking and has been instrumental in establishing the reputation of Sagrantino di Montefalco as one of Italy&#39;s most distinctive wines.

The Paola Bea estate, located near the town of Montefalco, has been in the family for generations. However, it was under Paola&#39;s stewardship that it gained international recognition. The vineyards are farmed organically without any chemical intervention and minimal mechanization.

Paola Bea wines are known for their intense character and depth of flavor. They reflect not only the unique terroir but also Paola&#39;s dedication to traditional winemaking methods such as long maceration periods and aging in large oak barrels.

His approach results in wines that are expressive, complex, and have a strong sense of place &ndash; characteristics highly valued by wine enthusiasts worldwide. Whether you&#39;re tasting the acclaimed Sagrantino or lesser-known blends like San Valentino Palo Bea, you can expect an authentic representation of Umbrian viticulture at its finest from this esteemed producer.

Review of San Valentino Palo Bea

San Valentino is a highly esteemed winery located in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Known for its dedication to organic and biodynamic farming practices, this producer has carved out a niche for itself as an innovative and sustainable wine creator. The vineyard was established by Umberto Cesari in 1965, who passionately believed in the potential of Sangiovese grapes from Romagna.

Color:

The San Valentino Palo Bea presents a rich, deep ruby red color that is almost opaque. This intense hue hints at the concentration and complexity within each bottle.

Nose:

On the nose, this wine offers an enticing blend of ripe black fruits like cherries and plums mingled with earthy undertones of leather and tobacco. There are also delightful notes of spices such as clove and cinnamon which add depth to its aromatic profile.

Tannins:

The tannins in San Valentino Palo Bea are well-structured yet supple, providing a robust backbone without overwhelming the palate. They contribute to its full-bodied nature while ensuring longevity for cellaring.

Taste:

Upon tasting, one can expect an explosion of flavors echoing those on the nose - ripe dark fruits layered with spice and earthy nuances. The finish is long-lasting with hints of sweet vanilla oak from barrel aging.

Critic Score &amp; Reviews:

San Valentino Palo Bea consistently receives high scores from critics around the world due to its exceptional quality. It frequently garners ratings above 90 points from renowned publications like Wine Spectator and Decanter Magazine. Reviewers often praise it for its balance between fruit intensity, tannic structure, acidity levels, making it both approachable now but capable of aging gracefully over time.

Food Pairing:

Given its robust character and complex flavor profile, San Valentino Palo Bea pairs wonderfully with hearty dishes such as grilled red meats, game, and rich pasta dishes. It also complements aged cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano.

San Valentino Palo Bea is a testament to the winemaking prowess of its producer. Its full-bodied nature coupled with complex flavors and aromas make it an excellent choice for those seeking a high-quality Italian wine that showcases the potential of Sangiovese grapes from Emilia-Romagna.

Paola Bea is a legendary figure in the world of Italian wine, particularly in Umbria. The family is renowned for their commitment to natural winemaking and has been instrumental in establishing the reputation of Sagrantino di Montefalco as one of Italy's most distinctive wines.

San Valentino Paolo Bea an Italian treasure

Wines from grapes grown in higher altitude areas with cooler climate has become quite the trend recently. This specific growing environment gives intense flavor but elegance and freshness to the final wines. To highlight and champion these conditions more and more winemakers are starting to use alto as a marketing and labelling term to show their grapes were grown in high altitude vineyards.

Decoding the wine label: Alto

Brut is a word often seen on labels for different kinds of sparkling wine. As you may have discovered when drinking these wines, it indicates that the wine is dry, meaning there is no perceived sweetness in the wine. But how about Extra Brut or Dry, what do they mean and are they the same as Brut?

Decoding the wine label: Brut

Semi-sweet Riesling, a type of wine falling out of style. It’s a shame, since these wines are perfect to pair with flavorful cuisines like Asian or Mexican, or simply drink as they come under the summer sun. The higher level of sugar left in the wine also means that the alcoholic fermentation was stopped before finishing, providing a wine with lower alcohol level and therefor easier grabbing a second glass of.

Decoding the wine label: Spätlese

Have you ever heard the word Xinomavro? Most have not. It is however a word on many sommeliers’ lips today, as it happens to be considered the grape variety with the highest quality in Greece, and one that is trending at the moment. The fact that Greece have been making wine for a long time comes as no surprise, but they have never exported an amount to make sure wine lovers around the globe tried it. With the growing wine tourism many have discovered these wines and are serving them in wine bars and restaurants in many countries today.

Decoding the wine label: Xinomavro

Chianti Classico, Valpolicella Classico, Soave Classico… Why do all these Italian wine regions have the Classico addendum and what does it mean? What is the difference for wines labeled as Classico?

Classico is a wine term in Italy seen on a few wine labels and it indicates that the wine’s from the historic center of the region, the heart. Using Chianti and Chianti Classico and their Sangiovese-based red wines as an example, Chianti is a rather large wine district within the Tuscany region. Chianti Classico is located withing Chianti as the central part and the one that originally existed. Back then this smaller region was actually called Chianti, but as the region grew the quality of the wine plummeted and the well-known characteristics of these red wines were watered down. The reputation took a hit and sales diminished. Eventually this led to the creation of Chianti Classico, which would be drawn from the original Chianti borders to recover the typicity of these wines. Today the quality of both Chianti and Chianti Classico have risen a lot due to modern techniques and knowledge about pruning, planting and temperature control in the winery.

Decoding the wine label: Classico

In the rarefied world of fine wine, where bottles can command prices equivalent to luxury cars, authenticity is everything. Laurent Ponsot's gripping memoir "FBI: Fake Bottle Investigation" reads more like a high-stakes thriller than a traditional wine book, chronicling his relentless pursuit of one of the wine world's most infamous counterfeiters, Rudy Kurniawan.

From Burgundy's Vineyards to the FBI's Most Wanted: A Winemaker's Quest for Justice

Chablis – one of the more popular styles of wine today and a region known by many. Most are familiar with the word Chablis and the light, fresh white wine with a touch of minerality it brings. Even though it’s a renowned wine, few knows what it really is.

Decoding the wine label: Chablis

Many grape varieties around the world of wine have names local to the region or country they’re grown in, even though they’re exactly the same. The most famous example would be Syrah in France where the same grape is named Shiraz in Australia. Another variety with two names is Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Gris.

Decoding the wine label: Pinot Grigio

Have you ever seen the term sur lie on a wine label? It’s not a grape and not a wine region, but a winemaking method used to give certain styles of white wine a rounder texture and a more complex flavor profile.

Decoding the wine label: Sur lie

Cecilia Bonet

Taverna di Bacco

Taverna Di Bacco

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where we review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Cecilia Bonet, wine educator and certified sommelier.

Hello Cecilia, great to have you back for another great wine list.

CB: Hello Robert!

RT: Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules.

We created CorkRules to demystify wine list&rsquo;s because we know from experience, that sometimes wine lists can be intimidating, and even a little daunting.

Our aim is to help prepare you to navigate that list, find those hidden gems, value wines or that special bottle that will take your dining experience over the top.

RT:&nbsp;So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

Top Level View

With a short wine list, they introduce us into Italy with just one page. There is a great selection of wines at a fair price, although you will not find the most recognized producers. So, let me walk you through it.

Unique Stuff

Fi&agrave; Nobile 2012 Cerasuolo di Vittoria

The name of the only DOCG in Sicily comes from &lsquo;Cerasa&rsquo;, cherry in the Sicilian dialect. It is a blend produced from the indigenous varieties nero d&rsquo;avola and frappato.

This Cerasuolo is a unique wine, easy to drink for its youthful flavours and aromas of cherry, strawberry and pomegranate, due to the particular soil and climate in which the grapes are cultivated.

As Cerasuolo di Vittora has excellent levels of natural acidity, it is a wonderful food wine. Pair the wines with a variety of dishes! I&rsquo;d say try it with the Spaghetti with spicy tomato sauce.

Value Wines

Trebbiano d&rsquo;Abruzzo, Contesa 2016 is the wine I&rsquo;d like to suggest.

Although Abruzzo is well known for its red wines and for good reason, this region has a plenty of whites that are worth exploring.

The trebbiano grape has been grown in central Italy since Roman times. This Trebbiano d&rsquo;Abruzzo has perfumed aromas of yellow apples, is creamy on the palate with orchard fruit flavors, sweet spices and a lemony acidity.

A perfect pairing for the RIGATONI with chicken ragu&#39; alla parmigiana and peas.

Bigger budget/Special Occasion 

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2010 Rinieri

Famous for its bold, layered and long-lived red, Brunello di Montalcino, the town of Montalcino is about 70 miles south of Florence and has a warmer and drier climate than Chianti.

The sangiovese grape is king here, as it is in Chianti, but Montalcino has its own clone called Brunello.

The Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2010, produced by Rinieri is a magnificent wine that will appeal to those who love the softer and richer side of Brunello. With precision and complexity, this full body but still elegant wine, shows violets, dark cherry and blackberry, softened by spice.

A truly fantastic wine to enjoy with STINCO D&#39;AGNELLO: braised lamb shank with parmesan risotto.

Cecelia, thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Taverna di Bacco&rsquo;s wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go try your great suggestions.&nbsp; &nbsp;To our audience, thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.

If you would like us to review one of your favorite restaurants, please send us email to: <a href="mailto:Info@CorkRules.com">Info@CorkRules.com</a> or visit our web website where we have a request form available and we will do our best to get it in the queue as quickly as possible.

We are looking forward to being with you on another CorkRules episode soon. In the meantime, please check out our website for other episodes of your favorite restaurant wine lists.&nbsp;

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

BRAT

Bocca di Lupe

Gap Weekend: A Film Shoot in Wine Country

Alba Restaurant

Alba

10 Greek Street

L'Auberge Chez Francois

Andrew Edmunds

Salt Seafood and Oyster Bar

Matteos Ristorante Italiano

Matteo's

Château Fage is a family-owned winery located in Graves de Vayres, Bordeaux, France. The winery has been producing high-quality wines since 1789, and has a strong commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. Château Fage's wines are known for their elegance, balance, and complexity.

American eatery known for barbecue ribs & other comfort food in a lofty & historic colonial space.

Dante

Geronimo

La Mercerie

Bar Primi

Kirby’s Steakhouse

The Grill

homepage

CorkRules application allows you to discover wines at your favorite restaurants, learn with friends and be confident with price transparency. Order wine with confidence at restaurants and retailers. Get personalized recommendations. #DrinkWhatYouLove

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