The Salento Plain, also known as the Tavoliere di Lecce, is a vast karst lowland situated between the terraced hills of the Murge to the north and the Serre Salentine to the south. The wine-growing landscape unfolds across a predominantly flat terrain, characterised by red soils, limestone outcrops, small ravines, sinkholes and an underground water network fed by the permeable nature of the soil. The presence of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas helps to create a bright and breezy Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers, mild winters and significant temperature variations between day and night.
In this context, the vines find favourable conditions for even and complete ripening. Negroamaro is one of the region’s most distinctive grape varieties, alongside Primitivo, Malvasia Nera di Lecce, Susumaniello, Aleatico and various white grape varieties, including Fiano, Chardonnay, Verdeca and Malvasia Bianca. The region’s wine appellations include red, rosé and white wines associated with areas such as Salice Salentino, Leverano, Copertino, Nardò, Brindisi and the Salento geographical indications.
Traditional viticulture has established the use of the Apulian ‘alberello’ training system, which is particularly well-suited to controlling the vigour of the vine and protecting the bunches from excessive sun exposure in the hottest areas, whilst modern training methods allow for careful management of the canopy and ripening. In the winery, the grapes give rise to intense, Mediterranean reds; fragrant, lively rosés; bright, aromatic whites; as well as more structured wines achieved through extended ageing. Salento’s winemaking history, documented as far back as the Greek era, continues today as a tradition that successfully combines native grape varieties, rural culture and a contemporary approach to production.