Apulia wine

Apulia, the heel of the Italian boot, is a long, relatively level region with a prolific production of wine. In the past, the region often surpassed Sicily and Veneto in output, though Apulia's former title of "Europe's wine cellar" no longer carries much weight.

As traditional markets for strong blending wines have diminished, Apulia's producers have increasingly put the accent on premium quality. Some have come forth with good to excellent wines: dry, balanced reds, whites and ros˜s, as well as sweet wines from a great range of grape varieties, both native and foreign.

Wine

Red wines generally derive from the native Uva di Troia or Bombino Nero, as well as Montepulciano and Sangiovese. White wines are dominated by the Verdeca variety, though Bianco d'Alessano, Malvasia, Trebbiano and Bombino Bianco are also evident.

South of the Brindisi-Taranto line lies Salento, a flat peninsula that extends between the Adriatic and Ionian seas to the easternmost point of Italy. Though hot, it is not quite torrid, thanks to the play of sea currents and the breezes that waft across the Adriatic from the Balkans. Salento's traditional wines were the powerful, inky reds from Primitivo, Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera. But increasing attention is being given to fresher reds and rosés, as well as to some unexpectedly bright and fruity white wines. Primitvo di Manduria, the early ripening variety of Salento is related to California's Zinfandel. Though it once served primarily as a blending wine, Primitivo from a new wave of producers has shown undeniable class in a style that stands comparison with its American counterparts.