Azienda Vinicola Rivera

Azienda Vinicola Rivera is one of the largest wineries in Italy. The winery is particularly distinguished by its red wines, which are not only absolutely beautiful but also very fairly priced. Rivera produces wines that capture the joy of life that Apulia is capable of, while maintaining a beautiful structure.

A glance at the map is enough to understand the significance of its history. A bridge in the middle of the Mediterranean, between East and West. A land that has been entered by a multitude of peoples and cultures over the centuries, whose heritage manifests itself in art, language, and folk customs. This is where the vine arrived from nearby Greece. And from here, the culture of wine spread throughout Europe. Here, with the harvest of each grape, the fruits of a centuries-old tradition of quality are captured.

The roots of the de Corato family run deep in Apulian agriculture. Here, on the land of Andria, Sebastiano de Corato founded Azienda Vinicola Rivera in the late 1940s, inspired by the vision of realizing and presenting the enormous viticultural potential of the Castel del Monte area to the world.

A widely recognized acknowledgment quickly followed, and since then Rivera has become the benchmark for quality wine production in Apulia and a driving force for its revival, also thanks to the innovations in vineyards and winemaking introduced by his son Carlo since the early 1980s.

Today, with the involvement of the third generation of the family, represented by Carlo's sons Sebastiano and Marco, Rivera proudly and with renewed dedication continues the production of wines that impressively express the intense yet elegant character of this land and its indigenous grape varieties.

Winemaking Philosophy

The winery's winemaking philosophy is consistently applied at every step of the process: vineyard management, grape harvesting, winemaking, aging, and bottling. The most modern viticultural and oenological practices are combined with the utmost respect for natural processes, with all activities aimed at environmental and economic sustainability as well as continuous quality improvement.

Wine Cellar

The wine cellars of Rivera bear witness to the history and development of wine production in the 20th century. The historic core dates back to the late 1800s, with a newer wing from the 1960s that includes glass-coated cement tanks, which today are fully temperature-controlled.

A modern, efficient winemaking facility rises alongside them, with small stainless steel fermentation tanks specifically designed for the maceration of red and rosé wines. The aging of the red wines takes place in two underground barrel cellars, one with over 400 French oak barrels and the other with large Botti, both 3,000-liter French and 5,500-liter Slavonian.

The entire winery facility is now powered by a solar system that covers 70% of its energy needs. Rivera's uncompromising quality program begins with the skilled management of its 75 hectares of vineyards, which are cultivated according to the principles of sustainable viticulture.

Vineyards and Terroirs

The vineyards are located in sites that cover two different terroirs. The Rivera, Torre di Bocca, and Coppa plots at 200-230 meters above sea level with deep tuff limestone soils yield fine indigenous grape varieties that produce white wines with vibrant acidity and red wines of impressive elegance and structure.

The picturesque vineyard Lama di Corvo, overlooking the Adriatic Sea and the Gargano massif, lies on the rocky soils of Alta Murgia at 350 meters above sea level, producing Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc with fine freshness and minerality. The remaining grape needs are supplied by some long-term local farmers.

Castel del Monte

The noble and fascinating Castel del Monte is the ideal symbol to identify one of Apulia's most extraordinary winegrowing areas, which received its DOC recognition in 1971 and its DOCG recognition in 2001.

Built in 1240 by Emperor Frederick II of Swabia, it has since represented a precise symbolic and spiritual architecture, the mystery of which continues to fascinate scientists around the world. The perfect geometry of the building features, along with the repetition of the octagonal shape and their proportions, is given by astrological and exoteric references.

The area extends over the territory north of Bari, which descends from "Alta Murgia" to the Adriatic Sea and divides into two areas that clearly differ in landscape and soil types. Above 300 meters above sea level lies the harsh limestone plateau of the Murgia, where you can find the traditional vineyards cultivated to Spalliera bassa, or low vertically trained canopies, between meadows and fields. Between 180 and 300 meters, in contrast, deep and loose tuff limestone soils host an endless array of olive groves and vineyards.

In these areas, characterized by a Mediterranean climate, marked by cool, rainy winters and hot, dry summers, but also by sea breezes, indigenous grape varieties such as the white Pampanuto, Bombino Bianco, Fiano, and Moscato Reale as well as the red Bombino Nero, Nero di Troia, Montepulciano, and Aglianico are cultivated. Thanks to special research work by Rivera’s agronomists, the international white varieties Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc have also been incorporated into the DOC Castel del Monte regulation.

Wines

The portfolio of Rivera includes a wide range of wines. It ranges from white wines to rosé wines to red wines, from single varieties to blends, from "easy-drinking" wines to more complex and elevated wines. Among these special wines, Rivera also offers a broad and significant range of wines from other important production areas of Apulia, including the main varieties and designations of origin.