Puglia is a region at the tip of southeastern Italy that is commonly referred to as the heel of the country’s boot. It borders the regions of Campania, Molise and Basilicata, as well as four separate bodies of water: the Adriatic Sea, the Ionian Sea, the Gulf of Taranto, and the Strait of Otranto.

A hot, sunny and dry area, Puglia is often referred to as the “garden of Italy.” Its rich farmland produces a wide variety of fresh produce: artichokes, chickpeas, broccoli rabe, and fennel, to name a few, with olives and grapes the two main crops. The region accounts for more olive oil and wine production than any other region of Italy, about 50 and 17 percent, respectively.

Like many other southern European wine regions, Puglia’s wine industry began favoring quantity over quality with a shift to mass-produced red wine by the early 20th century. Grape growers began ripping out native vines to plant more profitable, high yielding international grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. However, this plan of action was not viable in the longterm. By the 1980s, the growing number of sophisticated wine consumers were demanding better quality, and unfortunately, the industrialized Puglian wines had lost their value.

After suffering great economic consequences, Puglia’s wine industry has had a renaissance of quality over the past few decades. Dedicated wine producers are taking better care of viticulture and winemaking. They are also bringing back ancient grape varieties—many on the verge of extinction—and are now crafting beautiful wines that reflect the land they are grown on.

Masseria Li Veli is one of these producers. The winery, purchased in 1999 by the Falvo family (former owners of Avignonesi in Tuscany), has created a project to rediscover ancient Puglian grape varieties. On the label of these revived wines is a Greek “Askos” (wine jar, or decanter) which symbolizes the winemaking that began in Puglia in the 8th century BC when ancient Greeks arrived from Sparta.

**When my daughter came for dinner and saw the label, she thought we were having Greek wine!** *Photo: Lisa Denning*

Masseria Li Veli Verdeca 2020 is made from a white grape (Verdeca) grown almost exclusively in Puglia, and whose wines range from fairly neutral to more aromatic. This one leans towards more expressive, with honey, citrus and tropical fruit aromatics that lead you to a medium-bodied, beautifully textured wine with invigorating acidity.

This delicately-flavored wine was great alongside lemon sole with zucchini, tomatoes and capers—a dish you could easily find in Puglia.

Masseria Li Veli Susumaniello 2019 is made from the red Susmaniello grape, an ancient variety on the verge of extinction. It means ‘little black donkey,’ a fitting tribute to a vine which, come harvest time, appears to almost struggle under the weight of abundant clusters of large grapes.

This aromatic dry red wine is bursting with aromas of black cherry, tar and tobacco. The scent alone is mouthwatering! On the palate, bold and fruity, almost cassis-like, and very elegant, with enough acidity to balanced the boldness. Try this wine with grilled lamb chops or pasta Bolognese. I paired it with leftover chicken mole (of all things!) and it was delicious. The wine’s fruitiness was a perfect foil to the spicy mole sauce.