After almost a week at #Radicidelsud in Puglia now, it feels like being a part of one big wine family. This is a wine event that is organized in Bari every year to showcase and award wines from southern Italy. So far, I can say that it has been an amazing experience. Today, June 5th is the last day and later today the awarding ceremony will take place.
I wanted to write something at half-time so to say, but there was never much time. It has been a very intense week with lots of tours around Puglia and Basilicata and different tastings, all wonderful experiences. I think all of us in the wine writer and buyer group have had a lot of fun and feel happy.
In this article, I will not go more in-depth on the different winery visits or vertical tastings as I will tell you more about this in coming articles. However, I wanted to give a brief recap in pictures, videos, and a few words to show you our different adventures in Puglia.
Before continuing, I also wanted to thank the organizers of #Radicidelsud17. Nicola Campanile and all the others in the organizational team have done a great job and managed to create a sense of community among us which is really the important thing. On the press tour, already after the first day, it felt like we were a group of old friends.
Nicola always had a smile on his lips, even though probably being stressed with all organizational things. Giuseppe Barretta and Vito Gallo (our very own photographer) made us feel like at home while away from home, so to say. There are so many anecdotes to tell, that made this trip so amazing, I will get back to this in the next article.
Wine Around Puglia and Basilicata in 3 days
I arrived in Bari and #Radicidelsud in the evening on May 30th, being thrown directly into a vertical wine tasting of the Primitivo Piròmafo, Valle dell’Asso by Cantina Fiorentino.
This was the warming up for the coming three days where we had an intense schedule and rhythm worthy of any elite athlete. Joking! It was intense though lots of fun with a new place and a new bed in a new B&B every night.
The wonderful thing is that we have been able to experience wine areas and realities where, at least, I had never been before. Well, I have been to Puglia before and I had already been to Manduria and the local wine cooperative there. However, that was before I became more ‘obsessed’ with wine. 😉
At Varvaglione Winery
Day 1 of the Press Tour
On the first day of our press tour, we headed early towards Manduria. The first visit was to the vineyards of Varvaglione winery close to Manduria. Marzia Varvaglione showed us a part of their vineyards with the older vines as well as newly grafted ones.
Visit to the vineyard of @Varvaglione in #Manduria #Radicidelsud @WinesOfItalyLS @TheWiningHour https://t.co/hwEiQUVdSB
— Katarina Andersson (@ricasoli99) May 31, 2017
We then had lunch at the cooperative Produttori Vini Manduria followed by a setup where we could meet a group of local wineries and taste their wines one-on-one. When it comes to white wines, there was a mix of wines mostly made with Malvasia del Salento, Fiano, and Chardonnay. The Primitivo grape was the number one among the red wines, followed by some Negroamaro wines. We met with the following wineries:
- Consorzio Produttori Vini Manduria
- Cantina Fiorentino
- Varvaglione
- Claudio Quarta Vignaiolo
- Apollonio Casa Vinicola
- Cardone Vini
- Antica Masseria Jorche
- Garofano winery
Below, you can see a collage of the different wines I tasted.
We then headed to Gravina, where we met with the owners of Botromagno winery for aperitif and dinner where we learned more about their history and wine production.
Day 2 of the Press Tour
The second day, we got on the bus in direction to Melfi in Basilicata where a group of producers of Aglianico del Vulture was waiting for us. The tasting was organized in the castle of Melfi with a stunning view of the surrounding landscape. The producers make some interesting wine (as usual you will get a more detailed report further on) and I learned a lot from the owners of Cantine Lagala while I was sipping on their different wines.
Another of the producers I talked with was Antonio Cascarano from Camerlengo winery in Rapolla in Basilicata. He produces natural wines adopting spontaneous fermentation and natural yeasts. He told me that his wine cellar actually is in a cave on his property, thus balancing the temperatures in a natural way.
The key to the wines of #Camerlengo winery of Antonio Cascarano #Radicidelsud #Basilicata pic.twitter.com/dkcDydtSdO
— Katarina Andersson (@ricasoli99) June 1, 2017
Day 2 was ended with a meeting with producers of Nero di troia in Lucera, in the north of Puglia. Again, we had the possibility to mingle with the producers and ask them more about their wine production.
The rosé wines made with Nero di troia are interesting, very fresh and perfect on a summer day. This grape variety is perhaps not that well known yet, however, it makes for lovely red wines with non-intrusive tannins and notes of, for example, clove and violet.
Day 3 of the Press Tour
On the last day of our press tour, we departed from Lucera to head towards San Severo. Our first stop was the d’Araprì winery that produces sparkling wines with the Champenoise method using the local grape varieties Bombino bianco and Montepulciano as well as the more international Pinot Noir. The different combinations of these three grapes give very interesting and fantastic results. They also do a Riserva Nobile with only Bombino bianco.
Below, one of the three owners, Girolamo D’Amico, talks about their different labels and the grape varieties they use. (Sorry, the video is only in Italian, and not in English.)
The tour was rounded up by a visit to Valentina Passalacqua and another winery close to San Severo, D’Alfonso del Sordo. Valentina Passalacqua is an organic and biodynamic wine producer. She is very much into a holistic approach where the respect for the land and to have a production in symbiosis with nature is important.
Valentina adopts spontaneous fermentation and does not add any yeasts during the fermentation processes. She produces wines with mainly the grape varieties Bombino bianco, Fiano, Falanghina, Negroamaro, and Nero di troia.
Returning to D’Alfonso del Sordo, they produce Nero di troia wines first and foremost. This is a winery that dates back to the early 19th century with the noble family Del Sordo. Further on, they would unite forces with the D’Alfonso family who was viticulturists, thus continuing the wine production up until today.
Apart from Nero di troia, they also cultivate for example Bombino bianco, Trebbiano, Malvasia bianca, Moscato bianco, Montepulciano, and Negroamaro.
The #Radicidelsud Event Goes On…
After the press tour, the event continued with blind tastings and other happenings. Today is, as mentioned above, the last day and I am soon headed to taste some more wines and attend the award ceremony. It has been a wonderful week, I am really happy to have been invited this year. During the next few weeks, I will tell you more about the different wineries and their wines. Stay tuned!
What wonderful experiences you have Katarina. No wonder the wine writers and buyers felt happy. I love the idea of turning a cave into a wine cellar.
Thanks Tamuria, yes, it was indeed a lot of fun. 🙂
Yes, it was an amazing trip. The cave sounds cool, in all senses ;-), I still need to go and see that one.
Such heaven! What a wonderful experience, and it does sound like everybody is one big family. I’d so love to do this!
Thanks Susan, yes, they were all really making us feel like part of a family. 🙂
It sounds like a whirlwind tour indeed, Katarina, but what an amazing opportunity to meet other press people and get to experience and enjoy the wonderful wines from each of these wineries. It sounds like you had a lot of fun and enjoyed a lot of delicious wines!
Thanks Beverley, yes, it was really a lot of fun. Very tiresome…and I am paying for it a bit now physically…but it was worth it all. 🙂
It truly looks as if you are living your bliss. My mouth is watering and I am ready for a nice crisp glass of wine. I truly enjoy giving us a glimpse of your incredible experience. #Radicidelsud
Thanks Candess, I am happy that you enjoyed the article.
It’s so true Kata.. those that have common interests.. they bond together.. they find each other and stick together… to one big wine family. lol
That sounds like heaven. I can’t drink wine anymore but this sounds educational and entertaining. My two favorites! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, great that you found the article fun to read. 🙂 Am sorry to hear you cannot drink anymore.
A new bed and a new B&B every night?! Oh my, sounds quite exciting as well as exhausting. With all of the traveling you do and all of the new people you meet, how do you keep up? You must have a secret (& something tells me it’s wine related, haha!).
Well, it was hard work…a lot of fun…but also tiresome. I had another tour of 3 days with a couple of Americans when I got back home. So this week I have been paying a bit for the 10 days of high paced rhythm. .-o…So I am taking it very easy right now, only water.
What a wonderful experience to be part of this wine tour Katarina. I’m sure many envy you for the opportunity to taste so many different wines and meet with each of their producers. Again, I ‘m heartened to see how many are concerned with an organic and biodynamic approach. You must have great stamina and clear-headedness to have such an intense experience in a short amount of time. Obviously, you’re loving every moment and every taste.
Oh my Katarina! It seems like this was a lot of fun. It seems like your work is half business and half leisure all the time. What I like is that you are passionate about it. Enjoy!
Thank you Lori, yes, I think it does not feel like work often because it is so much fun all the time. 🙂