Puglia
Puglia is the heel of Italy's boot, a hot, flat region producing dark, ripe reds at scale. Primitivo (genetically identical to California Zinfandel) and Negroamaro are the workhorses, yielding plummy, sometimes raisined wines with low acid. Old bush-vine plantings on red iron-rich soils produce the most concentrated examples. Whites are a smaller share of output.
Signature grapes
Defining styles
Famous appellations
- Salice Salentino
- Primitivo di Manduria
- Castel del Monte
History
Greek and Roman vineyards flourished here. For most of the modern era, Puglia shipped bulk wine north to bolster underweight blends in cooler regions. DNA testing in the 1990s confirmed that Primitivo and Zinfandel are the same grape (with origins traced to Croatia's Tribidrag), boosting Puglia's profile. Quality-focused estate bottling has steadily grown since.