Puglia

Key Grape Varieties: Negroamaro, Primitivo

Puglia forms the “heel” of Italy. The region is hot and flat, relieved by constant sea breezes especially from both sides of the southerly Salento penninusula. Much of the regions massive grape production (17% of Italy’s total production) was from high-yielding vineyards sited on the baking plains. Once destined for bulk blending elsewhere in Italy now the winemakers of Puglia have a new emphasis on quality. Puglia now boasts 25 different DOC areas and some excellent vintages of it’s own. The most widely grown grape variety is Negroamara (Black Bitter). It is used to produce some of the regions best wines including Salice Salentino. It produces dry red wine with flavours of ripe plum, baked raspberries and spcie-cabinet notes like anise allspice and cinnamon. But the most famous grape in the area is Primitivo whose wines are generally high in alcohol content and full in body. White wines in Puglia count for less than 20% of the overall production but are gradually growing in importance. Some of the local white grapes are Bombino Bianco, Bianco D’Alessano and Verdeca as well as world known varieties such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon.