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A Pugliese Originality
A Pugliese Originality
by Dixon Brooke by Dixon Brooke
2018 Valle d’Itria Bianco “Rampone”
2018 Valle d’Itria Bianco “Rampone”
Late-winter vines at I Pàstini with a view of the town of Martina Franca
Italy | Puglia | Valle d’Itria IGP
I Pástini is a small, family-run winery in the Valle d’Itria in eastern central Puglia. Gianni Carparelli and his father, Donato, grow organic grapes on a limestone plateau co-planted to ancient (multi-millennia-old!) olive groves overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Located roughly in between the coastal towns of Brindisi and Bari, this terroir—known as the Valle d'Itria—is perfectly suited to producing dry, aromatic white wines of character and freshness.
The magic of Rampone is the result of the intriguing Minutolo grape, a Pugliese originality, isolated and propagated by I Pástini. It is distinguished by an incredible perfume of sweet lime blossoms as well as a gorgeous palate that balances savory, salty, floral, and fruit elements. Try it with simply prepared white fish, with great olive oil, wild herbs, and olives. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Late-winter vines at I Pàstini with a view of the town of Martina Franca
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Minutolo |
Appellation: | Valle d’Itria IGP |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Puglia |
Vineyard: | 3.5 ha, planted in 2001 |
Soil: | Red clay, limestone |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
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Crafted from the local variety Minutolo, Pástini’s Rampone preserves lip-smacking acidity and low alcohol despite the baking-hot Puglian summers
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You’ll recognize the root verde in Verdeca, the grape variety in this snappy and slightly aromatic Italian white, and the reason won’t be lost on you.
About The Region
Puglia
Puglia is Italy’s second most prolific wine-producing region (after the Veneto) and for decades was known as a source of bulk wine. But today, the heel of the boot is more than ever focused on quality, as ambitious growers seek to take advantage of the area's abundant natural riches to produce wines of character and identity. The hot, dry climate and marine influence from the long Adriatic coastline predispose Puglia to growing high-quality fruit, while a wealth of fascinating indigenous grape varieties thrive in these conditions. Changing fashion and a growing respect for the region's mostly calcareous terroirs have breathed fresh air into the Puglian wine scene, and with more than thirty distinct appellations, it is home to a tremendous variety of styles.
While the region is best known for inky, concentrated reds from grapes such as Primitivo and Negroamaro, the first KLWM Puglian imports are in fact white wines—aromatic charmers made from native varieties including Verdeca and the rare Minutolo. They hail from central Puglia’s Valle d’Itria, a plateau that shares a relatively flat topography and limestone soils with the Salento peninsula in the south. The north, in contrast, is hillier and features grapes more common to southern and central Italy including Montepulciano, Sangiovese, and Trebbiano.
Puglian wines are the product of intense southern sunshine and an ancient history of viticulture. With other local specialties including olive oil and burrata, the region has enormous potential for delicious combinations.
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.