Castel del Monte

The PDO "Castel del Monte" includes several wines: White (also sparkling and spumante); Red (also novello); Rosé (also frizzante and spumante), Bombino Bianco (also frizzante and spumante), Chardonnay (also frizzante), Sauvignon (also frizzante), Nero di Troia, Cabernet (also riserva), Aglianico (also riserva) and Aglianico Rosé (also frizzante).

Grapes

For white wines, the production requires the use of one of the following grape varieties: Pampanuto, Chardonnay or Bombino Bianco. For the red wines, the grape varieties of reference are Nero di Troia, Aglianico or Montepulciano. Finally; for rosés, the base of the blend is composed of Bombino Nero, Aglianico or Nero di Troia. In the case of whites, reds and rosés, up to a maximum of 35% of the production may also include other similarly coloured grape varieties, either alone or in combination, as long as they are grown in the area called "Murgia centrale". When the variety is specified in the denomination, it must represent at least 90% of the total grapes and the competition from other varieties cannot exceed 10%.

Physicochemical and Organoleptic properties

The white wines (minimum total alcoholic strength by volume 10.5% vol.) are straw-coloured, with a pleasant and delicate scent and a dry to mouthful taste. The Frizzante (minimum total alcoholic strength by volume 11% vol.) is enriched by a fruity bouquet and fine, evanescent foam, which becomes persistent in the Spumante (minimum total alcoholic strength by volume 11.5% vol.), whose taste is fresh, savoury, delicate and harmonious. The Rosso (minimum total alcoholic strength by volume 12% vol.) is ruby red, with a dry to sweet flavour and a pleasant, characteristic bouquet, more intense in the Novello (minimum total alcoholic strength by volume 11.5% vol.). Rosé wines (minimum total alcoholic strength by volume of 11% vol.) have a characteristic fruity scent, more delicate in the sparkling wine, and a taste that goes from dry to mouthful. Rosato spumante (minimum total alcoholic strength by volume of 11.5% vol.), on the other hand, has a complex, fragrant scent, typical of the refermentation, combined with a fresh, savoury, fine and harmonious taste. Finally, if the vine is specified, the wine is enriched by its organoleptic characteristics.

Grape production area

The production area is located within the district of Central Murgia, in Puglia.

Specificity and historical notes

The name Castel del Monte comes from the homonymous castle, which has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.