Made with Sagrantino, the Paolo Bea 2017 Rosso di Véo (with 13,212 bottles released) is an ambitious wine that embraces the stubborn character of this grape and turns its over to a softer, more malleable style. Fruit comes from the younger vineyards. It opens to an inky dark appearance and shows rich aromas of blackberry confit and dried plum (thanks to 41 days of skin maceration) and 136 days of aging on the lees. (Giampiero Bea is very precise with his harvest data and records most of it on his labels). The tannins are well managed, and the wine carries its full-bodied style with grace. - Monica Larner

The 2017 Rosso de Veo is impossibly fresh, with a wild aromatic mix of spiced citrus, roses, cloves, hints of cocoa and, finally, medicinal black cherries. It’s silky-smooth and juicy to the core, with an abundance of energy and vibrant ripe red fruits that wash across the palate with ease. The 2017 finishes only lightly structured and lively, as the mouth waters under an air of red inner florals, and an underpinning of chalky minerals slowly fades. This may be a more immediate expression of Rosso de Veo, but it’s one that I hope to be able to try over and over again. It pays to mention that the 2017 clocks in at just 13% abv, an amazing feat for Sagrantino. -- Eric Guido