It seems that Italian and Sicilian wines are the flavour of the month. It’s no wonder as the quality has improved 10 fold since the ones I first tried 12 years or so ago. The price point is also a bonus – similar to buying a Bordeaux for under 10 euros in the local French supermarket. But I digress.
Puglia is a long, thin wine region in the far south-eastern corner of the ‘boot’ of Italy and is a prolific source of mostly red wine. It has three rough viticultural areas: Foggia in the north, Bari and Taranto in the middle and Brindisi and Lecce in the south. However the ‘true’ Puglia is found in the south, below the Brindisi area.
Wines are made from grape varieties almost unique to the area. In the north the popular grapes are those used all over central and northern Italy (such as Sangiovese and Montepulciano). The mostly full-blooded Puglian grapes are Negroamaro and Primitivo while Verdeca is the only salient example among the whites.
Primitivo is a robust, powerful wine known locally as mirr test (hard wine). Negroamaro is more widespread and defines the red wines of the majority of southern Puglia’s DOCs. Puglia has concentrated, inky reds which to my mind rival the best from Australia and South America.
These wines I tasted from the highly respected and credentialed Cantine San Marzano estate are a great example of Puglia’s quality.
Tramari Rosato 2016 $17.50
National Award – Gambero Rosso Berebene 2018
Gold & Best in Class – Los Angeles International Wine Competition 2017
Gold – Challenge International du Vin 2017
Gold – Berliner Wein Trophy Winter Tasting 2017.
Light red hue, creamy, hints of strawberry and melon. Very dry. Made from free run primitivo juice. Serve chilled. Buy.
Wine Commander rating 18.5/20
Edda Bianco Chardonnay Moscatello Fiano 2016 $38.00
- 95/100 – Luca Maroni
- Double Gold & Italian White Wine of the Year – Melbourne Wine Competition 2017.
- China Gold 2017.
- Various Golds.
- Consists 80% chardonnay 15% wild moscato 5% fiano. 3rd vintage, spent 6 months in new oak, then blended with the chardonnay tank fermented. Hints of melon, manderin and herbs. A nice crisp sharp sweet palate with an acidic finish. WC 15/20
Talò Negroamaro 2015 $21,00
- 93/100 – Luca Maroni
- Gold – Challenge International du Vin 2017
- 4 other golds at European wine shows
6 months french oak. Very deep red colour, Great nose of cherries and chocolate with hints of spice. Very tannic. 2nd label. Definitely a food wine say with a ragu. WC 17/20
Cinquanta +1 Negroamaro Primitivo NV $35.00
- 98/100 – Luca Maroni
- Red Award – Merano Wine Award 2016
- Gold – Challenge International du Vin 2017
- 9 other golds at various international wine shows.
A blend of 2 vintages (unusual) to celebrate 50th year of the winery. nice vanilla and toffee, fresh and clean. Drink with roast beef.
WC 16/20
Sessantanni Primitivo 2014 $48.00
98/100 – Luca Maroni
- Double Gold & Italian Wine of the Year – China Wine & Spirits Awards 2017
- Gold – Asia Wine Trophy 2017.
30% 0f grapes slightly dried. Deep colour, rich sweet aroma of plums almost fruit cake. Great fruit with little oak overtones on the nose. Finishes with vanilla up front. Nice.
WC 18.5/20
11 Filari Dolce Naturale 2015 $33.50
A dessert wine. Deep red, with sweet almost porty overtones. Little residual sugar makes it too porty for me. Avoid.
WC 12/20
Summary: If you see wines from Puglia, particularly consisting Negroamaro and Primitivo grape varieties give them a crack. These grape varieties provide robust but subtle wine and must not be ignored. The Tramari Rosato 2016 at $17.50 is a definite BUY.
