Negroamaro

Cantalupi – the name is reminiscent of the wolves that once roamed the vineyards near Salice Salentino. The Zecca family has been cultivating these lands in the heart of Salento since 1580. Their Rosato, made from 80% Negroamaro and 20% Malvasia Nera, shows just how distinctive Apulian rosé can be: Bright light pink in the glass, with floral notes and red berry fruit on the nose. The ageing in cement tanks preserves the freshness, the lack of filtration the substance. Clear and harmonious on the palate, with lively acidity and a dry, juicy finish – with only 1.8 g/l residual sugar, a Rosato without compromise. Honest, precise, typically Salento. SUPERIORE.DE

The indigenous Negroamaro grape variety is one of the main pillars of Apulian viticulture and stands for strength, warmth and character. Dark ruby red in the glass with violet reflections. The nose is inviting with notes of ripe cherry, plum, dark berry fruit and a hint of Mediterranean herbs. Round and soft on the palate, with juicy fruit, gentle tannins and a spicy finish. The ageing in stainless steel tanks emphasises the freshness and varietal aromas of the Negroamaro. An uncomplicated, charmingly matured red wine with a likeable and very regional soul. SUPERIORE.DE

Felline in Manduria stands for Puglia's indigenous grape varieties and the pioneering work of Gregory Perrucci, who has been shaping the region since 1992. Pietraluna is a single-varietal Negroamaro from Salento – strong, spicy, authentic. The grapes come from vineyards around Manduria, where calcareous soils with iron oxide deposits form the typical terra rossa. After manual harvesting, fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks, followed by brief ageing to preserve the fruit.

The Negroamaro vineyard of Masseria Li Veli is located next to the Passamante grove. Dense ruby red in colour with a violet rim. Clear aromas of ripe, fleshy red fruit and spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg on the nose. Powerful and long on the palate, carried by a lively acidity. SUPERIORE.DE

Intense, sparkling old rose colour. Fine and inviting nose of ripe peach, yellow fruit and wild berries, underpinned by minimal spice. Crunchy on the palate with fine, delicate fruit, flows beautifully over the tongue, slightly salty, with a delicately bitter, animating finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Here comes one of Italy's favourite rosati: bright salmon pink, with a nose of peach, berries and hints of cherry. The flavourful finish is crisp and fruity. The "Anniversario" comes from vines that are around 50 years old and is the house's top Rosato. It was vinified for the first time in 1993 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Five Roses. SUPERIORE.DE

What began in 2004 as an anniversary wine for the 50th harvest of Salice Salentino – leone de Castris has been producing this Apulian classic since 1954 – has become a firm tradition due to its resounding success. Since then, a new edition of the "50° Vendemmia" has been released every year. A Riserva that shows how Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera find their powerful yet elegant expression on the red soils of Salento. After selective harvest, the blend of 90% Negroamaro and 10% Malvasia Nera di Lecce undergoes an 8 to 12-day maceration at a controlled temperature of 20 to 22 degrees before the wine matures for twelve months in 30-hectolitre oak barrels. A further six months of bottle ageing round off the process.

Deep, dark ruby red with a garnet red centre. The aroma is warm and complex: black cherry, dried plums, a pinch of tobacco and balsamic notes, underpinned by a hint of liquorice and toast. Powerful and well-structured on the palate, with dense tannins and a ripe, almost velvety texture. The ageing in barriques adds depth without overpowering the fruit. Negroamaro in this Riserva form shows its full potential: independent, complex and with elegant maturity. An authentic representative of the DOC Leverano, characterised by the warm climate of Salento and the craftsmanship of Conti Zecca. SUPERIORE.DE

The Negroamaro grapes for the extremely delicate Calafuria come from vineyards that stretch along the Adriatic coast in Salento. The region boasts a long tradition of producing rosé wines from Negroamaro, a grape variety that best expresses its potential near the sea. Pale pink in colour, the bouquet has fruity citrus notes of grapefruit and orange blossom with hints of jasmine. Pleasantly fresh on the palate with excellent aromatic persistence and a delicate flavour. SUPERIORE.DE

For over three decades, this Salice Salentino Riserva has been the undisputed flagship of Cantine Due Palme – and a wine that proves year after year that greatness and a co-operative structure need not be a contradiction in terms. The Tre Bicchieri of the Gambero Rosso? For Selvarossa, this has long been a subscription. No other Apulian red wine has won this top award so consistently, and at a price-pleasure ratio that even cuvées four times more expensive regularly fail to achieve. The story of Selvarossa begins shortly after the turn of the millennium, when Angelo Maci – fourth generation of an old winemaking family and founder of Due Palme – realised his vision of uncompromising quality production. What began in 1989 with fifteen members now unites over a thousand winegrowers who together cultivate 2,500 hectares of vineyards in the provinces of Brindisi, Lecce and Taranto. The name Selvarossa – "red forest" – refers to the characteristic red-coloured, clayey soils around Cellino San Marco, rich in minerals, graphite and iron oxides, which give the terroir its unmistakable character.

F for Falò – bonfire. The name alludes to the traditional bonfires that are lit in Salento at the winter solstice. Cantine San Marzano dedicates a single-varietal Negroamaro to this custom, emphasising the dark, intense side of this indigenous grape variety. The grapes grow on the calcareous, iron oxide-rich soils between San Marzano di San Giuseppe and Sava. After manual harvesting, the grapes undergo prolonged maceration, followed by twelve months of ageing in Caucasian oak barrels – an unusual choice of wood that gives the wine its own aromatic signature.

Charismatic Negroamaro in an accessible and modern style without gimmickry. In the glass, dark lines of blackberries, plums and blackcurrants with generous background notes of chocolate, Indian spices, teriyaki and smoky barbecue sauce. Noble tannins and ripe fruit flavours form a wine that is both contoured and soft and yielding. Masseria Maime is ready to drink at a young age, but can safely mature for another five years or more. SUPERIORE.DE

A classic of the region with a growing reputation: Donna Lisa comes from the best Negroamaro parcels around Salice Salentino. The 2017 vintage was warm and demanding, but it produced robust harvestwith concentration and depth. Matured in barriques and then in the bottle, finely balancing structure and elegance. Deep ruby red in the glass with a garnet-red rim. The bouquet is ripe, complex and spicy: black cherries, dates, dried plums, mocha, liquorice and a hint of vanilla. Dense and round on the palate, with supple tannins, well-integrated freshness and a long, balsamic final. A serious Riserva with charisma and regional soul - powerful, mature but not tired. A wine with tradition that shows Puglia at its noblest. SUPERIORE.DE

A wonderfully mature Salice Salentino with character and depth: "Per Lui" Salice Salentino Riserva comes from selected Negroamaro plots that are deeply rooted in the iron-rich soils around Salice. The long maturation in wood - partly barrique, partly tonneau - gives the wine density and expression without jeopardising its balance. Dark ruby red in the glass with a light garnet-red rim. The aroma is warm and complex: black cherry, plum, dried herbs, some tobacco and a hint of cedar. Structured and powerful on the palate, with well-integrated tannins, juicy fruit and a spicy finish. An elegant, mature Salice Salentino that shows its finer, more serious side - very much in the style of the great wines of southern Puglia. SUPERIORE.DE

Selvarossa is a tribute to the autochthonous grape varieties of Salento: the Negroamaro – "niuru maru" in the dialect, "black bitter" – has been rooted in this soil for three thousand years and provides the dark, almost black depth of colour, the solid tannins and the bitter spiciness that justify its name. The Malvasia Nera provides a counterpoint of elegance and soft, velvety fruit. Both grape varieties are cultivated using the traditional Alberello system, the archaic bush training method without wire frames, which offers the vines protection from the scorching heat and naturally limits the yield. The grapes for the Selvarossa come from the oldest, most select plots and are harvested by hand in small crates when perfectly ripe, some even slightly overripe – some even slightly overripe to maximise concentration and sugar content.

A mistake made history. Generations of wine lovers translated "Negroamaro" as "black and bitter" – but the name tells a different story: Greek "mavros" and Latin "niger" both mean "black". Black like the berries, black like the night over the Ionian Sea, which has washed this grape variety onto Puglia's coasts since the 8th century BC. So it is no wonder that Gianfranco Fino calls his Negroamaro Jo – after the sea that washes Manduria and whose salty breeze caresses his vineyards. While the Primitivo is Fino's "loud" masterpiece, the Jo whispers. But if you listen carefully, you can hear the whole soul of Salento. The vines, forty years old, grown in classic Alberello bush training, are rooted just a few kilometres from the Ionian Sea in chalky, loamy soil. Each vine bears barely 800 grams of grapes, concentrated essence instead of southern abundance. harvest begins by hand in mid-September, when the berries are already slightly dry. Two to three weeks of maceration, then nine months of ageing in French barriques, half new and half used. No filtration, no fining – fino leaves the wine its integrity.

A Negroamaro with a grand gesture and deep expression: Gianfranco Fino's Jo comes from over 50-year-old Alberello vines, rooted in calcareous and clayey soils not far from the Ionian coast. The 2022 vintage was characterised by heat and drought, but the deep roots of the old vines ensured balance and ripeness. The meticulously selected grapes are fermented spontaneously and matured in French barriques – with the aim of achieving maximum origin and texture.

What began in 2004 as an anniversary wine for the 50th harvest of Salice Salentino – leone de Castris has been producing this Apulian classic since 1954 – has become a firm tradition due to its resounding success. Since then, a new edition of the "50° Vendemmia" has been released every year. A Riserva that shows how Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera find their powerful yet elegant expression on the red soils of Salento. After selective harvest, the blend of 90% Negroamaro and 10% Malvasia Nera di Lecce undergoes an 8 to 12-day maceration at a controlled temperature of 20 to 22 degrees before the wine matures for twelve months in 30-hectolitre oak barrels. A further six months of bottle ageing round off the process.

A wonderfully mature Salice Salentino with character and depth: "Per Lui" Salice Salentino Riserva comes from selected Negroamaro plots that are deeply rooted in the iron-rich soils around Salice. The long maturation in wood - partly barrique, partly tonneau - gives the wine density and expression without jeopardising its balance. Dark ruby red in the glass with a light garnet-red rim. The aroma is warm and complex: black cherry, plum, dried herbs, some tobacco and a hint of cedar. Structured and powerful on the palate, with well-integrated tannins, juicy fruit and a spicy finish. An elegant, mature Salice Salentino that shows its finer, more serious side - very much in the style of the great wines of southern Puglia. SUPERIORE.DE