Puglia

See Tuscany

See Tuscany

See Piedmont

See Piedmont

An ancient variety, introduced by the Messapians, of Cretian origin, where the now town of Alessano is located in the southernmost tip of Puglia. It is present in most of the Puglian white wines of quality.

Gravina, Locorotondo

Aka Pagadebit (pay your debts) referring to the capacity of production from Emilia Romagna but some degree of disagreement to its relation to Trebbiano.

Castel del Monte Bianco, Locorotondo

Noted for its abundant production of juicy if rather simplistic fruit. The nero part is something of a misnomer as Bombino is light in polyphenols which makes it ideal for rosato. Related to Bonvino from Lazio

Castel del Monte

See Campania

See Campania

White grape, also known as Francavidda. Used as a blending-component in the Ostuni DOC bianco where it may constitute up to 50% of the blend

Ostuni Bianco

Another white grape, native to Puglia and used in the central Puglian higher lands of Ostuni, where white wine is traditionally made. Used in a blend with other local grapes and Verdeca.

Ostuni Bianco

Great confusion abounds with the origins and identity of this grape. Malvasia is a catch all name for a group of varieties whose scions perhaps originiated in the same Greek locality (the Peloponnesian port of Monemvasia). In truth, the Venetians in the middle ages transported various wines, sweet, dry, aromatic and non under the general name Malvasia – perhaps the reason for the disparity.

Castel del Monte blend

Soft, semi-aromatic variety, found mostly in Puglia (and Piemonte, Tuscany), presumably related to the vast array of other Malvasias around the world but this is not definitive. Used in small proportions in blends

Salice Salentino

See Abruzzo

See Abruzzo

Produces wines of deep colour and hence the origin of its name coming from the dialect “niuru maru” the former word meaning black in Italian dialect and the latter meaning black in Ancient Greek, betraying from whence it came. Pliny and Horace wrote about Merum from this area which refered to wines of structure (as apposed to Vinum, lighter wines) and Negroamaro today is still considered the grape of quality in Puglia.

Copertino, Brindisi Rosso, Salice Salentino, Squinzano. Rosato.

This red grape was fast becoming exctinct until the 90s when a general improvement in Italian viticulture led to increased interest in Italian indigenous grapes. Later discovered to be identical to Cinsault.

Ostuni

The name is said to derive from Primaticcio, means pernicious or early ripening, usually early to mid September. Its thin skin, encouraging evapouration, leads to high grape sugar content, traditionally favoured by growers who look to sell their grapes according to degree – hectolitre content. Added to this the low lying, low intensity alberello vineyards, primitive can reach some eyeboggling sugar levels. The thin skins make it susceptible to botrytis in a rainy August/ September which has become an unwelcome phenomenon this millennium in too many vintages. The grape has a peculiar quirk of secondary or even tertiary harvests from Racemes opposite the main buds that ripen 20 days or so later. Seen as negative by local growers until recently because of its lower alcohol potential but more conducive to finer wines. DNA testing relates is to Zinfandel (the offspring) and Mali Plavac – “little blue” – the mamma, from Croatia.

Manduria, Gioia del Colle

See Tuscany

See Tuscany

Red grape (verging on the black) making something of a recent come back. Characterized by good colour extract and firm acidity. Used traditionally as a blender, now some varietal wines.

Brindisi DOC

That it came from Troy is mythical.. from Greece BC – probable. Its epicentre is Puglia to the north of Bari. Ripens late to Puglian standards around mid to late October. It is a grape of some potential in making a wine of quality – juicy, with structure and complexity.

Castel del Monte

Puglia’s white grape of quality, found mostly in the central Puglian uplands of “Trulliland” (Ostuni, Alberobello etc).

Locorotondo

Red sweet wine, in a liquer form and a riserva (being aged in oak)

Aleatico, Negroamaro, Primitivo, Malvasia Nera

Brindisium wines have a long tradition, being described by both Pliny and Horace as full bodied. The modern reds and rosés are certainly wines of mature fruit and structure, the proximity of the Adriatic Sea adding freshness.

Negroamaro + up to 30% Malvasia Nera, Montepulciano, Sussmaniello, Sangiovese

Inland from the Gargano peninsula in this ancient land of Lucera, comes this curious blend in which up to 30% can be white grapes, giving the wine a lighter character compared to some Puglian reds. The name comes from the local dialect which means “take it out and put it in” coming from the direct nature of the wine – straight out of the cask into the glass.

Uva di Troia, Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Malvasia Nera, Bombino Bianco, Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia Bianca

Rosso – predominantly Uva di Troia, a grape that is grown extensively to the North of Bari. Recently, the DOC has allowed a large variety of the above red grapes into the blend. Rosati are also made from these blends Bianco – predominately Pampanuto, a grape that is grown extensively to the North of Bari. Recently, the DOC has allowed a large variety of the above white grapes into the blend Varietal Wines – Aglianico, Bombino Bianco, Bombino Nero, Cabernet, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Nero, Sauvignon, Uva di Troia,

Uva di Troia, Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Aglianico and Pinot Nero, Bombino Nero, Pampanuto, Bombino Bianco, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco.

This town in the heart of the Salento, are considered to be where the premium wines of Puglia are produced. Certainly some of the best rosés of Italy come from here. It is located on the slight crest between the 2 seas of the Adriatic and Ionion. Negroamaro makes up at least 70% of the blend.

Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera

Probably the white wine of quality in Puglia, based around the town Gravina whose name derives from a deep ravine in the vicinity. Here the limestone rock outcrops revealing the source of the wine’s freshness and mineralty, despite the torrid heat of summer.

Malvasia Bianca, Greco, Bianco d’Alessano, Bombino Bianco, Trebbiano, Verdeca

From the centre of “Trulli land”, this white wine area, is at a higher elevation than the rest of the Puglian plain making nights and days somewhat fresher. Beneath the red, rich soil is white calcareous limestone called “tufa”

Verdeca, Bianco d'Alessano, Fiano, Bombino Bianco and Malvasia Toscana

Named after the picturesque town North of Bari, this is the sweet wine appellation of Puglia claiming a history that predates the Romans.

Moscato Bianco

Named because of its precocious ripening rather than its long history, which some say originated in Croatia as Crljenak Kaštelanski, and was transported “over the pond” to become Zinfandel. Primitvo wine shares little personality with these two relatives, having cherry and tar aromas with firm acidity. The Manduria version is the ancient Greek town nea Taranto, said to be the heart of Primitivo country and must be at least 13% abv. Most Primitivo available on export markets is not of this Appellation.

Primitvo

Although a sweet red from Aleatico and a couple of whites are made, this is one of the more renowned reds from Puglia. Named after a town just north of Lecce, where the whole area is covered with vineyards and olive groves, this red is mainly from Negroamaro grapes but uplifted with the more aromatic Malvasia Nera grape.

Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Aleatico, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon

Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Sangiovese, Montepulciano

Negroamaro, Chardonnay

Primitivo, Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Monrepulciano, Sangiovese, Trebbiano Toscano, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Aleatico

Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Monrepulciano, Sangiovese, Malvasia Bianco, Bombino Bianco

Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Monrepulciano, Sangiovese, pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia Lunga Bianca, Bianco d’Alessano

Verdeca, Bianco d'Alessano, Fiano, Bombino Bianco and Malvasia Toscana

Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Sangiovese

Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Monrepulciano

Sangiovese, Uva di Troia Montepulciano, Lambrusco Maestri, Trebbiano Toscano

Impigno, Francavilla, Bianco di Alessano, Verdeca, Ottavianello, Negro Amaro, Malvasia Nera, Notar Domenico, Sussumaniello

Uva di Troia, Monrepulciano, Sangiovese, Malbec

Uva di Troia, Monrepulciano, Sangiovese

Uva di Troia, Negroamaro, Monrepulciano, Sangiovese, Malbec, Barbera, Trebbiano Toscano

Bombino Bianco, Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia del Chianti, Verdeca, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Sangiovese

Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Sangiovese