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Apulia, a land of wine and oil, traditions
and folklore, a rocky and hostile land that thanks to loving
and constant care has become an endless source of life and
support for this people. Grapes, the symbol of this abundance
and prosperity since the very Roman age, are today the core
of a "journey" in the name of customs, habits and
traditions related to grape harvest whose ultimate expression
is represented by vintage.
Travelling over Apulia in September
is a matchless sight; glittering bunches of grapes are lined
up along endless fields waiting for the rite of harvest, which
is almost considered as something sacred by Apulian peasants.
Once completed the harvest, the characteristic scent of must
spreads everywhere mingled with the colours of this land that
is now ready to let go of the latest fruits of summer. This
rite becomes also an opportunity to celebrate: popular festivals
are organised in every town, people meet there to call to
mind old memories, early wine is tasted, maybe accompanied
by local dishes as it happens in Carpignano (Le), in the heart
of Salento's Greece, where every year the traditional "festa
te lu Mieru" takes place. The care shown by wine growers
and producers all the year round has its ultimate expression
in the wonderful nectar whose varied nuances from ruby-red
to straw yellow, become the symbol of the many-sided personality
of this land ranging from the Murge to Bari countryside, from
Salento to Taranto.
Let's make a rapid overview of "R.D.O. wines" typical
of our region.
Doc Castel del Monte produces an intense
red wine, rich in colour and taste, whose peculiar vine is
called Troy vine.
Locorotondo winery is noteworthy for the white R.D.O. wine
with the same name that is well renowned for its freshness
and lightness. The Locorotondo, in fact, is produced with
Verdesca and Bianco di Alessano vines, its taste is dry and
dainty, the alcoholic content is 11 and is stunningly good
as a dry sparkling white wine. Another city that may boast
of a traditional and rich wine-growing is Martina Franca whose
famous white R.D.O. wine is praised by connoisseurs. Famous
in Manduria is the Primitivo, a wine with incredible organoleptic
properties that can be tasted as a sweet wine.
If we go down along the Murge ridge,
we come to the Salento, maybe the exemplary region as far
as wine-growing technological innovation is concerned. Here
you may find a great variety of wines ranging from the Nero
dei Conti Zecca, a black-bitter grape cuvee and cabernet sauvignon
with a strong aroma, to the wines produced by Cantina Francesco
Candido such as "Cappello del Prete", "Duca
d'Aragona" and "Immensum", the big numbers
of a great wine-making tradition.
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Then, Apulia produces the majority of Italian wines, which however are not sold in bottles and are mixed with others; over the last 15 years, many wine producers have decided to produce top-quality wines by enhancing local vines. According to their origin, Apulian wines can be classified in 3 main regions:
Northern Apulia especially in the area of Castel del Monte with the typical vines such as Primitivo, Uva di Troia, Malvasia Bianca il Bombino Bianco and Pampanuto bianco, and Moscato di Trani.
Central Apulia with white vines such as Locorotondo, Martina Verdeca, and red vines such as Primitivo di Manduria and Gioia del Colle.
The Salento with rosés like Alezio and Copertino, red vines like Salice salentino, Negroamaro and Primitivo, white vines like Leverano, Galatina and Malvasia and the dessert red wine Aleatico.
-Minervino murge
-Castel del monte
-Trani
-Conversano
-Noci
-Locorotondo
-Oria
-Manduria
-Mesagne
-San pietro vernotico
-Salice salentino
-Leverano
-Galatina
-Scorrano
-Giuggianello
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