Paolo Bea dinner at Semo. All wines were prepared by opening and slow-ox, prior to service. Abbreviated notes due to the setting. The 2019 Cerrete is a veritable abyss: deep, dark, dense and mysterious. Dark cherry, licorice, blood and sneaky high tannin. So young. I thought this worked well with the venison. Almost impossible to believe this is 15.5%; everything is so balanced. Drink now through 2049. Bottle No. 161/9639 — 3 months ago
Paolo Bea dinner at Semo. All wines were prepared by opening and slow-ox, prior to service. Abbreviated notes due to the setting. The The 2020 Santa Chiara appears a deep orange color with notes of marmalade, apricot, flowers, and varnish (VA). The palate shows low+ tannin and decent acid. Tasty, complex stuff as usual. A lovely pairing with gougère of prosciutto, green olive and honey. Drink now through 2030-ish. Bottle No. 2814/5940 — 3 months ago
Still too hot, but manageable. — 2 months ago
Paolo Bea dinner at Semo. All wines were prepared by opening and slow-ox, prior to service. Abbreviated notes due to the setting. The 2017 Pipparello pours a garnet color with funky Montmorency cherry, red carnations, and balsamic notes. Wonderful structure and delicious with the quail. Drink now with patience through 2037. Bottle No. 642/9930 — 3 months ago
Poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service; enjoyed over the course of dinner. The 2009 pours a deep garnet color with an opaque core and a burnished rim; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears and plenty of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe black fruits: black plum, salmiakki, mixed flowers, some nail polish, blood, wild herbs, a mix of organic and inorganic earth and exotic spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long. It’s been several years since my last 2009 Pagliaro and it certainly hasn’t lost any of its potency. A special wine from a special vineyard cared for by a special producer. Drink now with a decant through 2039-ish. Bottle No. 3815/9570 — 4 months ago
Over the top heaviness, if that’s your thing. — 2 months ago
Paolo Bea dinner at Semo. All wines were prepared by opening and slow-ox, prior to service. Abbreviated notes due to the setting. The wines of Paolo and Giampiero Bea are very special to me and I am grateful to have enjoyed so many of them, over the years. However, the Passito is extremely rare and this is my first encounter. The 2011 pours a garnet color with a most interesting and attractive nose of Castelvetrano olives, dark cherry, salmiakki, and palo santo. I would categorize this as off-dry; certainly not sweet. There’s excellent structure too so that may play a role in my perception of sugar. Perhaps the profile varies from vintage to vintage however, if this is representative, I could see myself going well out of my way to drink this. Brilliant. Drink now through 2036. Bottle No. 1716/3699 — 3 months ago
Paolo Bea dinner at Semo. All wines were prepared by opening and slow-ox, prior to service. Abbreviated notes due to the setting. The 2020 Lapideus pours a hazy straw color with notes of undigested hay, black lemon, Brachs butterscotch, white and yellow flowers, and some tarragon. The palate shows low+ tannin and acid works well with the halibut crudo. Drink now through 2035. Bottle No. 800/2610 — 3 months ago
Clay Bullwinkel
Fabulous full bodied orange trebbiano wine. Minerals, herbs, tannic, — 4 days ago