Paolo Bea Lapideus IGT Umbria Bianco

Paolo Bea’s Lapideus is an esoteric skin-contact white from Umbria that offers both technical daring and vineyard-rooted personality. Bea, whose family has been farming in Montefalco since the 1500s, has long embraced a low-intervention philosophy: organic practices, indigenous yeasts, no fining or filtration, and bottling with minimal sulfur. Lapideus is made entirely from Trebbiano Spoletino sourced from an 80-year-old parcel in Pigge di Trevi, where the cooler microclimate provides tension and finesse. After harvest, the must remains on its skins for 35 days, allowing phenolic extraction and texture development, before being pressed and then aged on the lees for over 200 days. Fermentation occurs spontaneously, without temperature control, to allow natural expression of fruit and minerality. The result is a deeply colored wine; not a light white but one with amber hues and a dense core. On the nose, Lapideus presents dried apricot, orange peel, wildflower honey, herbs, and a savory earthiness. The palate is taut and lively with firm tannins, brisk acidity, and a saline minerality that underpins flavors of stone fruit, candied citrus, and spice. Because Lapideus is unfined, unfiltered, and aged on lees, it retains a texture, depth, and complexity that makes it a compelling food partner. It pairs beautifully with roasted pork, richer seafood preparations, spiced dishes, or aged cheeses. Given its structure and phenolic backbone, it also has aging potential when cellared in a cool environment to allow integration of its layers over time.