I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Apulia Region
Author: Levi Reiss
Article:
If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the
Apulia region of southern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I
hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education
tour.
Apulia is the heel of the Italian boot. It is located in the
southeast corner of Italy on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas.
Apulia was frequently invaded by the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Among its many rulers were the Byzantines, Goths, Lombards,
Normans, Spaniards, and Turks. Its moment of greatest glory was
in the Holy Roman Empire of the 13th Century, when majestic
Romanesque cathedrals and palaces were built.
When the Phoenicians and Greeks first arrived in Apulia they
found native people living from farming. Apulia produces nearly
half of the olive oil in Italy. Other major agricultural
products include grain, fava beans, vegetables, pasta and rice,
seafood and fish, cheese, and meat, especially lamb and kid. The
region has some industry, in particular chemicals,
petrochemicals, iron, and steel.
Apulia's administrative center is Bari, the biggest city in
southern Italy, whose population is slightly more than 325
thousand. Bari is a university city, with a historic old town.
Taranto and Brindisi are important ports.
Apulia devotes about 260 thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks
2nd among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine
production is about 191 million gallons, also giving it a 2nd
place. About 7o% of the wine production is red or rose' (only a
little rose'), leaving 30% for white. The region produces 25 DOC
wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata,
which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin,
presumably a high-quality wine. Less than 4% of Apulia wine
carries the DOC designation. Apulia is home to over three dozen
major and secondary grape varieties, a few more red than white.
Widely grown international white grape varieties include
Chardonnay. Italian versions of international varieties include
Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Blanco. The best known strictly
Italian white varieties are Bombino Bianco, which appears in
eight DOC wines, and Verdeca.
Widely grown international or somewhat international red
varieties include Primitivo, a close relative of Zinfandel, and
Sangiovese, an Italian variety found increasingly elsewhere, for
example in California. The best known strictly Italian red
varieties are Negroamaro, found in eleven DOC wines, and Uva di
Troia.
Before reviewing the Apulia wine and cheese that we were lucky
enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian
food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with
indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with
'ncapriata, also known as Favi e Fogghi, a Fava Bean Puree with
Vegetables. Then try Pepata di Cozze al Limone, Peppery Mussels
with Lemon. For dessert indulge yourself with Frittelle di
Ricotta, Ricotta Fritters.
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have
communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers
and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is
clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the
full retail price.
Wine Reviewed: Azienda Vinicola Rivera Spa 'Castel del Monte'
Rose' 11.5% alcohol about $8
Some say that Castel del Monte, named for a 13th Century castle,
is the best-known appellation in Apulia. Of course, best known
does not necessarily mean best. This particular bottle was from
Bombino Nero grapes, whose unusual pyramidal form remind one of
a child (Bombino or Bambino) with outstretched arms.
I'll start by quoting the marketing materials. "...After soft
processing of the grapes the must macerates with the skins for
15-18 hours in stainless steel vats. It is a fruity,
well-balanced and dry rose' that perfectly complements
appetizers, light soups, fish and white meats. Well-chilled it
is a great aperitif."
And now for my comments. I first tried this wine with an omelet
containing red onions, Portabello mushrooms, and non-imported
Provolone cheese. The wine was mildly acidic and refreshing, and
brought out the onion's sweetness. It was a summer wine, you'd
know it was a rose' without seeing it. On the other hand, it was
very short.
My next tasting was with chicken meat balls and green beans
amandine. While the wine was pleasantly acidic, once again it
was quite fleeting and almost overpowered by mild food. This is
one of the few wines that I prefer without food. It usually did
not add anything to the food.
Caciocavallo Silano is a stringy semi-hard cheese produced in
Apulia and neighboring regions of southern Italy. It's made from
cow's milk aged for at least fifteen days. The cheese's mild
nutty flavor was enhanced by the wine. I had the same experience
when tasting this wine with a Pecorino Sardo, reviewed in
greater depth in my article "I Love Italian Wine and Food - The
Sardinia Region" in this series. In conclusion, the wine went
better with cheese than with eggs or meat.
Final verdict, I don't think that I'll buy this wine again. The
competition is too great, even at the $8 price point.
About the Author:
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers
and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink
fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He
teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language
community college. His wine website is
www.theworldwidewine.com .
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