Puglia - Italy
- Feb 5
- 3 min read
Puglia, a vast (350 km) and fertile region in the heel of Italy, is definitely worth a visit, as you can stay in the unique Trulli (white houses with conical roofs). In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the Kingdom of Naples, to which Puglia belonged at the time, imposed hefty taxes. The counts of this region came up with an ingenious plan. They required all residents to build their homes without cement. This way, all the houses could be quickly removed, which was convenient when a tax collector came to conduct a census on which the tax due would be based. The poor peasants were therefore only allowed to use loose, "dry" stone. Therefore, they adopted a round shape and a self-supporting, domed roof. This roof consisted of circles of stones pressed against each other, literally holding itself up.
Locorontondo - Winery I Pàstini
For a long time, it was known only for its inexpensive bulk wines. Fortunately, this is no longer the case. Well-known and lesser-known local grapes, such as Primitivo and Negroamaro, are used, as well as Verdeca, White On Alessano, Minutolo Antico, and Susumaniello. This is also the case with the I Pàstini winery. This winery is located in the heart of the Itria Valley, between Locorotondo and Martina Franca. Since 1996, they have been combining traditional and modern winemaking techniques to produce wines that showcase the new face of local/authentic wine production. The excellent sun exposure, the right temperature, and the constant gentle sea breeze create ideal conditions for the acidity and sugars in the grapes. They primarily use Verdeca, White On Alessano, Minutolo Antico, and Susumaniello to bring out the true expression of the region in the wine. You can visit the I Pàstini winery .
Lecce - Cantele Winery
Salento stretches between the Ionian and Adriatic Seas. It is a region rich in ancient olive groves and vineyards, enchanting beaches and rugged coastlines, classic caves, and some of Italy's finest agricultural land. The soil is exceptionally fertile thanks to the natural presence of limestone and clay.
Cantele Winery has a rich history. When the fighting stopped during World War II, Giovanni Cantele left his home in war-torn northeastern Italy in search of a better life. He landed in the Romagna region, where he found a steady job in the wine trade and where he would meet the love of his life, Teresa Manara. When many southern Italians headed north to find work in the factories of Milan and Turin, the Cantele family moved south and settled in Lecce. There, Giovanni and Teresa's sons first began bottling their own wine and later bought vineyards and built a winery. By then, Augusto had returned to the family from his winemaking studies in the north. Today, the Cantele nephews make wine in their state-of-the-art winery in Guagnano, completed in 2003. Be sure to visit Cantele Winery . The people are incredibly hospitable, and you'll get a good sense of how they make their wines.
The vineyards face north to south, with excellent ventilation thanks to the north wind and siroccos from the south. The rows absorb the perfect amount of sunlight on each side, creating ideal conditions for berry ripening. Local grape varieties such as Negroamaro, Primitivo, Susumaniello, and Fiano del Salento are used in their wines. They also grow Chardonnay, which produces wines with excellent aromatic character.
Cantele wines are made with such passion that you can even taste this in the wines.
The wine can of course be purchased through the wine shop on this website.
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