PUGLIA

Location

The heal of the boot, facing eastwards so with strong influences from both the Balkans (hence the argument for Primitivo being of Croatian origin) and Greece (Uva di Troia – grapes of Troy). It is the longest of Italian regions, stretching from the Gargano to the North to Santa Maria di Leuca on the Southern tip of the Salento peninsular

Climate

Hot summers mild winters (apart from a typical couple of weeks in March when a Siberian wind brings a bitter arctic blast). Puglia’s lack of water is somewhat mitigated by the influence of 2 seas – the Adriatic and the Ionian, making the peninsula seem almost like an island and giving vegetation welcome humidity.

Topography

Puglia is uncharacteristic in Italy in terms of being very flat – la Pianura. Italy’s landscape is usually dramatic, mountainous, with rivers, forests, and wild countryside. Puglia is a cultivated plain with wide areas of olive grove and vineyard. It does not have any rivers and so water is a precious resource. The hinterland to the North West of Bari tend to be hilly as vineyards swoop up to Castel del Monte and the “Murgia”. The Salento is a vast flat plain, surrounded by sea.

Soils

Puglia’s soil is red, rich and full of minerals. However, it is a very thin covering over a wonderfully white limestone where vines’ roots soon find their way crashing through. A sublime contrast therefore, between mineral rich soil, but a thin layer and mineral rich rock with excellent drainage.

Production

Average annual production is 7.053.000 HL

 
                                                                                                                                                                                              Abruzzo        Basilicata        Calabria        Campania        Emilia-Romagna        Friuli-VeneziaGiulia        Lazio        Liguria        Lombardia        Marche        Molise        Piemonte        Puglia        Sardegna        Sicilia        Toscana        Trentino-AltoAdige        Umbria        Valled'Aosta        Veneto                                     

Grapes

  • Description

    See Tuscany

    Principle Wines

    See Tuscany

  • Description

    See Piedmont

    Principle Wines

    See Piedmont

  • Description

    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.

    Principle Wines

    Gravina, Locorotondo

  • Description

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

    Principle Wines

    Castel del Monte Bianco, Locorotondo

  • Description

    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

    Principle Wines

    Castel del Monte

  • Description

    See Campania

    Principle Wines

    See Campania

  • Description

    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

    Principle Wines

    Ostuni Bianco

  • Description

    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.

    Principle Wines

    Ostuni Bianco

  • Description

    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 originated 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.

    Principle Wines

    Castel del Monte blend

  • Description

    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

    Principle Wines

    Salice Salentino

  • Description

    See Abruzzo

    Principle Wines

    See Abruzzo


  • Description

    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 referred to wines of structure (as apposed to Vinum, lighter wines) and Negroamaro today is still considered the grape of quality in Puglia.

    Principle Wines

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

  • Description

    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.

    Principle Wines

    Ostuni

  • Description

    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.

    Principle Wines

    Manduria, Gioia del Colle

  • Description

    See Tuscany

    Principle Wines

    See Tuscany

  • Description

    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.

    Principle Wines

    Brindisi DOC

  • Description

    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.

    Principle Wines

    Castel del Monte

  • Description

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

    Principle Wines

    Locorotondo

Major Appellations DOCG/DOC

  • Description

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

    Principle Wines

    Aleatico, Negroamaro, Primitivo, Malvasia Nera

  • Description

    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.

    Principle Wines

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

  • Description

    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.

    Principle Wines

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

  • Description

    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,

    Principle Wines

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

  • Description

    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.

    Principle Wines

    Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera

  • Description

    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.

    Principle Wines

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

  • Description

    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”

    Principle Wines

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

  • Description

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

    Principle Wines

    Moscato Bianco

  • Description

    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. Primitivo wine shares little personality with these two relatives, having cherry and tar aromas with firm acidity. The Manduria version is the ancient Greek town near 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.

    Principle Wines

    Primitivo

  • Description

    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.

    Principle Wines

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

Sub Appellations DOCG/DOC

  • Principle Wines

    Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Sangiovese, Montepulciano

  • Principle Wines

    Negroamaro, Chardonnay

  • Principle Wines

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

  • Principle Wines

    Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Malvasia Bianco, Bombino Bianco

  • Principle Wines

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

  • Principle Wines

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

  • Principle Wines

    Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Sangiovese

  • Principle Wines

    Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Montepulciano

  • Principle Wines

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

  • Principle Wines

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

  • Principle Wines

    Uva di Troia, Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Malbec

  • Principle Wines

    Uva di Troia, Montepulciano, Sangiovese

  • Principle Wines

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

  • Principle Wines

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

  • Principle Wines

    Negroamaro, Malvasia Nera, Sangiovese

  • Daunia
    Murgia
    Puglia
    Salento
    Tarantino
    Valle d`Itria