Apulia (418)

3,000 Years of Wine History in Apulia

The Romans benefited from the long wine-growing tradition in Apulia - the Phoenicians had already started planting vines here 1,000 years earlier, later followed by the Greeks. Thus, Apulia, with its 3,000 years of wine history, is one of the oldest wine regions in the world.

Geography and Climate of Apulia

Geographically, Apulia forms the spur, the heel, and the toe of the Italian boot. The region has few mountains compared to other parts of southern Italy. One of them is the famous octagonal Castel del Monte, the legendary castle of the Hohenstaufen Emperor Frederick II, which is also known as the "stone crown of Apulia."

Instead, flatlands and plateaus prevail. The climate is hot and dry, with low precipitation, so irrigation is sometimes necessary. The soils - predominantly limestone, sandstone, and clay - are very fertile and produce wines that are characterized by fruity maturity on the one hand and freshness on the other. The latter is ensured by maritime breezes, as Apulia is largely surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea on three sides.

The topography of Apulia allows for the vines to be planted in rows on field-like surfaces. Typical for southern Italy is the Alberello, a form of vine training and one of the oldest propagation methods for wine. A shoot of the vine is bent into the ground so that the tip is exposed. The underground part of the shoot then takes root and produces a new vine.

Apulia is Italy's Largest Wine Producer

Apulian winemakers produce the most wine on the boot on approximately 100,000 hectares of vineyard area, which is why the region is also referred to as the "wine cellar of Italy." However, quality wines currently account for only about 10% of the wines produced in Apulia. The majority of the harvest is pressed into simple mass wine or goes into the distillation of industrial alcohol.

The quality wines are divided into four DOCG areas, 28 DOC areas, and six IGT regions. The four DOCG wines are:

• Castel del Monte Bombino Nero

• Castel del Monte Rosso Riserva

• Castel del Monte Nero di Troia Riserva

• Primitivo Dolce Naturale

VINELLO offers you a representative selection of DOCG, DOC, and IGT wines from Apulia, among which there are numerous interesting wines and producers to discover alongside Primitivo and Negroamaro.

Grape Varieties in Apulia

The most famous grape varieties are Primitivo, known worldwide on the Salento peninsula as Primitivo di Manduria, and Negroamaro. Both are red grapes with a robust and fruity aroma. Negroamaro is one of the many indigenous grapes that are cultivated and cared for with particular dedication in the Apulia wine region. The grape was likely introduced to southern Italy by the Greeks more than 2,000 years ago. It forms the backbone for many wines of Salento - the peninsula in the southern part of the region.

The Apulian Primitivo originally comes from Croatia and has probably been native to the region for 150 to 250 years. Good qualities present themselves fully and robustly in taste, without lacking a certain elegance and freshness.

Overall, red grapes account for about three-quarters of the area, while white grapes make up the remainder. Among the noteworthy red varieties, particularly still include:

• Uva di Troia or Nero di Troia

• Malvasia Nera

• Aglianico

• Bombino Nero

• Cabernet Franc

• Cabernet Sauvignon

• Sangiovese

• Montepulciano

• Merlot

The most common grapes for white wine in Apulia are:

• Bombino Bianco

• Fiano

• Impigno

• Greca di tufo

• Malvasia Bianca

• Falanghina

• Verdeca

• Moscato di Trani

• Chardonnay

• Pinot Bianco and Grigio

• Sauvignon Blanc

Order Apulia Wines Online at VINELLO

Are you tempted to put together your own exploration tour through Apulia? Just browse through our selection - VINELLO has numerous wonderful classics and exciting new discoveries in the program. Discover the diversity of wines and benefit from our sommelier advice. Secure purchasing and guaranteed prompt delivery ensure that your journey of enjoyment can begin quickly and lead you directly to wine pleasure.