Bastioni della Rocca Leggero Appassimento Puglia IGT

Key characteristics:

Bastioni della Rocca Leggero Appassimento Puglia IGT is a powerful and dark red wine, crafted using the traditional “Leggero Appassimento” method. This unique process involves naturally drying the Negroamaro and Primitivo grapes on the vine for approximately 25 days, concentrating their sugars and flavors to create a supple wine. It is celebrated for its ripe black fruit notes, complemented by complex hints of spice, vanilla, and raisins.

Tasting Notes:

• Variety: A captivating blend of Negroamaro and Primitivo, two iconic grape varieties from Puglia. Negroamaro contributes deep color, good tannins, and dark berryfruit, often with earthy, spicy, and subtly medicinal undertones, while Primitivo adds strong tannins, body, concentrated fruit aromas, and a pleasant bitterness.
• Appearance: Ruby red with elegant garnet reflections.
• Aroma: Intense and complex, revealing notes of sweet cherries and red plums, beautifully interwoven with hints of earth, tobacco, grilled herbs, and leather.
• Taste: A full-bodied and smooth wine with a dry palate, offering good texture and supple tannins that lead to a lingering depth of flavor. It is warm, enveloping, and well-balanced, showcasing the inherent qualities of its varietals.
• Region: Hailing from Puglia, Italy, often called the “heel of Italy’s boot.” This region boasts a warm Mediterranean climate, fertile soils, and gentle rolling hills, providing an ideal environment for cultivating these robust grape varieties. The soils, often clayey, can also be calcareous or stony and rich in minerals.
• Pairing: Perfect with spicy pastas, rich red meats, and aged cheeses.

Overall impression:

This Leggero Appassimento offers a truly memorable experience, presenting as a full-bodied and exceptionally smooth red wine with a powerful character and a beautifully lingering finish.

Extra notes:

• The Appassimento method, famously used in Veneto for wines like Amarone, involves drying grapes to concentrate their essence, a tradition embraced in Puglia to create this rich style.
• The Bastioni della Rocca winery draws inspiration from the golden age of Frederick II, celebrating the majestic castles that enrich the valleys of Southern Italy. A vintage of this wine has been awarded 98 points by Luca Maroni.