Vineyards in Puglia - Photo © claudiocaiaffa
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I Love Italian Wine and Food series - Apulia Region
An article by: Levi Reiss
If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the
Apulia region of southern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that
you’ll have fun on the fact-filled wine education tour.
Apulia is the heel of the Italian boot. It is located in the
southeast corner of Italy on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Its
population is over 4 million.
Apulia was frequently invaded by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Among
its many rulers were the Byzantines, Goths, Lombards, Normans,
Spaniards, and Turks. Its moment of greatest glory was in the Holy Roman
Empire of the 13th Century, when majestic Romanesque cathedrals and
palaces were built. |
Apulia produces nearly half of the olive oil in Italy. Other major
agricultural products include grain, fava beans, vegetables, pasta and
rice, seafood and fish, cheese, and meat, especially lamb and kid. The
region has some industry, in particular chemicals, petrochemicals, iron,
and steel.
Apulia’s administrative center is Bari, the biggest city in southern
Italy, whose population is slightly more than 325 thousand. Bari is a
university city, with a historic old town. Taranto and Brindisi are
important ports.
Apulia devotes about 260 thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 2nd
among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about
191 million gallons, also giving it a 2nd place. About 7o% of the wine
production is red or rose' (only a little rose'), leaving 30% for white.
The region produces 25 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di
Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of
Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. Less than 4% of
Apulia wine carries the DOC designation. Apulia is home to over three
dozen major and secondary grape varieties, a few more red than white.
Widely grown international white grape varieties include Chardonnay.
Italian versions of international varieties include Trebbiano Toscano
and Malvasia Blanco. The best known strictly Italian white varieties are
Bombino Bianco, which appears in eight DOC wines, and Verdeca.
Widely grown international or somewhat international red varieties
include Primitivo, a close relative of Zinfandel, and Sangiovese, an
Italian variety found increasingly elsewhere, for example in California.
The best known strictly Italian red varieties are Negroamaro, found in
eleven DOC wines, and Uva di Troia.
Before reviewing the Apulia wine and cheese that we were lucky enough
to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here
are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring
this beautiful region. Start with ‘ncapriata, also known as Favi e
Fogghi, a Fava Bean Puree with Vegetables. Then try Pepata di Cozze al
Limone, Peppery Mussels with Lemon. For dessert indulge yourself with
Frittelle di Ricotta, Ricotta Fritters.
Wine Reviewed Azienda Vinicola Rivera Spa ‘Castel del Monte’ Rose'
11.5% alcohol about $8
Some say that Castel del Monte, named for a 13th Century castle, is
the best-known appellation in Apulia. Of course, best known does not
necessarily mean best. This particular bottle was from Bombino Nero
grapes, whose unusual pyramidal form remind one of a child (Bombino or
Bambino) with outstretched arms.
I’ll start by quoting the marketing materials. “…After soft
processing of the grapes the must macerates with the skins for 15-18
hours in stainless steel vats. It is a fruity, well-balanced and dry
rose' that perfectly complements appetizers, light soups, fish and white
meats. Well-chilled it is a great aperitif.”
And now for my comments. I first tried this wine with an omelet
containing red onions, Portabello mushrooms, and non-imported Provolone
cheese. The wine was mildly acidic and refreshing, and brought out the
onion’s sweetness. It was a summer wine, you’d know it was a rose'
without seeing it. On the other hand, it was very short.
My next tasting was with chicken meat balls and green beans amandine.
While the wine was pleasantly acidic, once again it was quite fleeting
and almost overpowered by mild food. This is one of the few wines that I
prefer without food. It usually did not add anything to the food.
Caciocavallo Silano is a stringy semi-hard cheese produced in Apulia
and neighboring regions of southern Italy. It’s made from cow’s milk
aged for at least fifteen days. The cheese’s mild nutty flavor was
enhanced by the wine. I had the same experience when tasting this wine
with a Pecorino Sardo, reviewed in greater depth in my article “I Love
Italian Wine and Food – The Sardinia Region” in this series. In
conclusion, the wine went better with cheese than with eggs or meat.
Final verdict, I don’t think that I’ll buy this wine again. The
competition is too great, even at the $8 price point.
About the Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the
Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other
wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an
Ontario French-language community college. His wine website is
www.theworldwidewine.com. You
can reach him at ital@mail.theworldwidewine.com.
Wine Italy |
