Puglia Flashcards
Describe the location of Puglia?
Heel of Italy
South of Abruzzo
Surrounded on 3 sides by Med Sea
What is the climate of Puglia?
HOT Mediterranean climate with moderating breezes from the sea
low rainfall = less threat from fungal disease
Soils/Irrigation in Puglia?
Fertile soils, irrigation permitted
Historically the wines from Puglia were used how?
exported to cooler areas of Italy to add alcohol and body to wines
What wine is made now in Puglia?
Much inexpensive wine made, but growers are seeking to raise quality and prices.
what are the top 6 varieties grown in Puglia
- Sangiovese
- Primitive
- Negromaro
- Montepulciano
- Trebbiano Toscano (white)
- Trebbiano Giallo (white)
What are Sangiovese and Montepulciano used mostly for?
Large volumes of black grapes for bulk wines
3 Main black varieties typical of the Puglia region?
- Primitive
- Negromaro
- Nero di Troia
Key characteristics of Primitivo grape?
- High yielding
- AKA Zinfandel
- Ripens early in Puglia
- picked in August
- Prone to spring frost, drought and poor flowering/fruitset
6.Bunches are looser with smaller berries = more disease resistant than Zinfandel in California - Uneven ripening = strict sorting to produce Quality wine
- High sugar = High alcohol
- grapes can dry on vine adding to alcohol, so good judging for harvest important to avoid jammy or dried fruit flavour
How are vines trellised in Puglia? Old/New?
Older vines typically bush trained and
planted at low density, providing some shading for fruit
New vines (and inexpensive wines) trellised (cordon trained or cane-pruned with VSP) = mechanisation possible
How are inexpensive wines made vs Premium wines?
vinified at warm temperatures (26-32ºC)
7-10 days maceration to extract colour and med high levels of tannin
Aged for short (6 months) in S/S or large casks
Premium wine will have longer on skins for greater structure and aged in French Oak for 12 months
What are the 2 Main DOCs of Puglia?
- Primitivo di Manduria DOC - grape is named so 85% must be Primitive, Max Yield 63 hL/ha
Riserva aged for 2 1/2 years, incl 9m in wood, min 14% abv - Gioia del Colle DOC - must be 50-60% Primitive, blended with Montepulciano, Sangiovese and/or Negromara, up to 10% Malvasia
Max yield 52 hL/ha.
Riserva must be aged 2 yrs (no wood requirement), min 14% abv.
Hilly area (slightly cooler 250-500m) both DOCs make full-bodied, high alcohol wines
Tasting Notes for Primitivo di Manduria DOC and Gioia del Colle DOC
Med (+) to pronounced intensity, ripe to jammy red cherry and strawberry, Med acidity and Med(+) tannin
Some acceptable to good wines plus some outstanding ones
Top producers = Gianfranco Fino (PdMandura) and polvareda (GdColle)
Why has Primativo had mixed fortunes in recent decades?
Many old vines removed under EU wine pull scheme, but has become more popular again, partly through success of Californian Zinfandel.
Where is Negromara planted?
widely grown on Eastern side of Salento peninsula