The 2010 Arboreus is a pure expression of Trebbiano Spoletino that has been executed faithfully according to the natural wine philosophy that sees long skin macerations, lees aging and fermentations with ambient yeasts. The wine's color is deep and saturated, somewhere on the spectrum between yellow amber and polished copper. Don't count on finding any primary notes here, because I did not. Instead, this carefully aged white offers tones of crushed oyster shell, beeswax, candied almond, dried garden herb and even a touch of white chocolate that seems to emerge with time. Pair this full-bodied white with roast porchetta or pizza with sausage and brocoletti. This is a great expression from Umbria that will appeal to those who love Paolo Bea's distinctive style and natural wine approach.

The 2008 Arboreus is a beautifully focused, lithe white that impresses for its energy and length. The wine was fermented on the skins for 28 days, then left on its gross lees for over six months, but comes across as lighter and more delicate than the Santa Chiara. Sweet amber tones laced with mint, flowers and tangerine linger on the exquisite finish. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2016. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchants, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990

Bea’s 2006 Arboreus is Trebbiano Spoletino from 80-120 year-old, pre-phylloxera vines. An open, honeyed bouquet leads to exotic apricots, cedar and spices, all of which come together in a rich, textured style. The addition of a handful of partly dried grapes confers depth and an attractive oiliness to the vivid finish. This is a fabulous white from Bea. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2017. Giampiero Bea is one of Umbria’s leading producers. The wines are made in a totally natural, non-interventionalist style, with no temperature control in fermentation, only natural yeasts and no added sulfites. At their best, these are wonderfully pure, expressive wines loaded with character. Because Bea lets nature runs its course, the wines are highly vintage sensitive. In great years the wines are typically fabulous but in weaker vintages the wines tend to reflect both the positive and negative attributes of those years to a higher degree than most wines these days. Whether that is a good or bad thing depends on one’s point of view, but there is no mistaking that when Bea has ideal conditions to work with his wines are stellar. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchants, Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990