Terre di Montelusa

Apulia and its wines

In Apulia, you will find mainly limestone, clay and sandstone soils. The climate is very dry and hot, but the region is well ventilated due to its coastal location. Rainfall is rather rare. Four zones within Apulia have DOCG status, 28 others DOC. At the heel of the Italian "boot", the focus is on Terre di Montelusa on Primitivo, which achieved fame in the New World under the name Zinfandel. Rosé wine is also produced here under the brand.

The Sicilian cousins

From Sicily, the Nero d'Avola grape variety is used in the wines of Terre di Montelusa. There are wide-ranging climatic differences on the island, from hot Mediterranean to Alpine, and the soils vary depending on the location:

• sandy
• loamy
• calcareous

There is also basalt of volcanic origin. Nero d'Avola is now the most important grape variety in Sicily and is cultivated all over the island. In addition to wine from this grape variety, a red wine cuvée is also produced.

The best of both worlds

From the portfolio of Terre di Montelusa, the Altopiano wines stand out, which are available with both Sicilian and Apulian origins. The grapes for these wines are grown exclusively at higher altitudes, where it is significantly cooler and the grapes therefore take longer to ripen.

The grapes for these wines are harvested by hand and after gentle fermentation, they are matured in oak barrels for almost a year. This sets the Altopiano wines apart from their simpler siblings. The Brindisi Riserva, the Sicilian red wine cuvée from the island's DOC region of the same name, is also aged in wood.