San Marzano F Negroamaro IGT Salento 2021

This cuvée comes from the Contrada di Monte la Conca, between San Marzano and Francavilla Fontana, in the heart of Salento, in Puglia. The old Negroamaro vines are trained as traditional bush vines (alberello), on fine silty soils rich in iron oxides, which give the earth its characteristic red hue, over a limestone subsoil. The climate, hot all year round and very dry, offers wide swings between day and night. The letter F pays tribute to Feudi di San Marzano, the winery's founding name.

The grapes, slightly overripe, are harvested by hand during the last week of September. After destemming and crushing, they undergo cold pre-fermentation maceration at 8 °C for twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Maceration and alcoholic fermentation, carried out with native yeasts at 24 to 26 °C, last about ten days. Malolactic fermentation takes place in stainless-steel tanks, then the wine is aged for twelve months in French and Caucasian oak barrels.

This wine reveals notes of cherry jam, blackberry, black plum, blueberry, black pepper, clove, liquorice, cocoa and vanilla. The very deep purple colour opens onto a broad, complex nose of ripe fruit and spice. The full, round palate rests on fine, tight-knit tannins and ends on a long, harmonious finish.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful, hedonistic country, the land of la dolce vita, but how difficult it is to understand its wine industry! The key to understanding the appellation system in Italy is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single homogeneous nation, as each region has its own appellation system. Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavors and styles, bottles brimming with surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a large quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most commercially useful and prestigious name: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco, and many others... But let's talk a little history. Viticulture in Italy dates back to antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and modified the grape varieties, subsequently calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and certain regions already distinguished themselves by the excellence of their product. The Romans also established numerous vineyards in Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquest. Today, Italy is the world's largest wine producer, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The northern mountains have a rather harsh mountain climate. The plains of the "central boot" are characterized by a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. In the southern part of the Italian boot, the Mediterranean climate prevails, with very hot and dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces a wide variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of which originated in its own lands. It is a country as complex as its wines, which deserve to be explored!