REGION: Umbria

With the assistance Giampiero Bea of Paolo Bea, the nuns of Monastero Suore Cistercensi organically farm five hectares of vines in Vitorchiano in the Lazio district. They use only estate fruit, working mostly with Malvasia, Trebbiano, and Verdicchio - all hand harvested and grown on volcanic soil.

Giovanni Dubini began bottling his Orvieto in 1982 and remains stalwart today nearly 40 years later. The sedimentary clay and limestone terroir in Rocca Ripesena is key to Palazzone’s success, along with Giovanni’s determination to remain one of the last bastions of estate-bottled wine in the area.

Paolo Bea is a founding father of the natural wine movement in Italy -- the mainstream use of organic and biodynamic farming, aging in clay amphorae and non-interventionist winemaking is traced back to him! The Paolo Bea winery is based in Montefalco and is run by his two sons.