Puglia

History

The cultivation of grapes in Apulia dates back to around 2000 BC and it preceded the arrival of Phoenician merchants. Horace wrote indicating how the wine of Taranto “have nothing to envy the Falernian grapes” and in those days the Falerno was the most important wine of all. The first DOC was in 1968 (San Severo), followed in 1969 by Locorotondo and Martina Franca, and then gradually over the years by all the other DOCs known today.

Territory

The territory is 2% mountainous, 45% hilly and the remaining 53% flat. The Tavoliere’s soils (Tavoliere is the name of Apulia’s plain) are made up of alluvial clay and sand. The farmlands are limestone or sand-rich; some of the latter can be rich in iron, as shown by the dark red color of the surface. Rivers are of little relevance because of the terrain and the general lack of rain. The climate is typically Mediterranean with beautiful and stable weather for many days a year. Rainfall is limited and almost exclusively during the winter. Apulia has a terrific vineyard area (about 110,000 hectares), of which the vast majority is located in the plains.

The main red grape varieties of this region are: Primitivo, Uva di Troia, Negro Amaro, Malvasia Nera di Brindisi and Malvasia Nera di Lecce. Though these are believed to be, at the present state of knowledge, genetically identical, they do not give similar wines. White grapes include White: Malvasia Bianca, Minutolo, Fiano, Bombino Bianco, Verdeca, Bianco d’Alessano, Pampanuto. North to south, the province of Foggia in the area known as Daunia, where we find the wines of San Severo DOC and Cerignola DOC. Around Bari, we find the area of Castel del Monte, with three DOCG wines: Castel del Monte Bombino Nero, Nero di Troia Riserva and Rosso Riserva. In this area there are also Aglianico and the most popular international varieties. Further South near Bari, the DOCs Gravina, Martinafranca, and Locorotondo are known for delicate floral white wines produced with blends of the following grapes: Verdeca (Gravina), Bianco d’Alessano (Martinafranca) and Malvasia Bianca or Malvasia Bianca Lunga (Locorotondo). Further down in the Salento peninsula, in addition to the main grape variety Negro Amaro and Primitivo, there is also the Malvasia Nera (two varieties). Especially noteworthy are the two sweet wines produced in the area: Moscato di Trani, from Moscato Bianco grapes, and Aleatico di Puglia made mainly from Aleatico with small additions of Primitivo, Negro Amaro, and Malvasia Nera.