Puglia is Italy's second-largest wine-producing region by volume, historically a source of bulk wine used to add colour and body to northern blends. A quality revolution has transformed the region. Primitivo di Manduria produces rich, concentrated reds from the same grape as California's Zinfandel. Negroamaro is the backbone of Salice Salentino — darker, more tannic, with bitter cherry character. Nero di Troia (Uva di Troia) from the north of the region is gaining recognition for its structure and ageability. Old-vine (alberello) bush-trained vineyards on the Salento peninsula produce some of the most characterful wines in southern Italy.
Subregions
- Manduria — Manduria, in the Taranto province, is the stronghold of Primitivo. DOC and DOCG (Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale) rules govern dry and sweet styles. Sandy soils over limestone and a hot, dry climate yield dense, high-alcohol reds.
- Taranto — Taranto sits on flat, sandy plains along the Ionian coast. Hot summers and low rainfall concentrate sugars in Primitivo and Negroamaro, yielding high-alcohol reds. The gulf moderates extremes slightly. Few DOC wines carry the Taranto name specifically.
