Good stuff on the way from Puglia!

Whenever anyone talks about "value wines" from Italy, Puglia is a region near the top of the list.  Long a bulk supplier to other regions in Italy (and dare I admit, other European nations!) where the ripe, sweet, Pugliese wine is used to fluff up and bulk up lighter bodied reds, the region is better known for this kind of low-quality wine rather than the stuff that real wine enthusiasts crave.

All the same, it is our duty to find great wines, and Jon recently returned from a trip to Puglia where he diligently tasted and visited estates looking for signs of the quality revolution there.  He brought back a slew of samples from the most promising wineries, and he and I tasted through them again, a routine we always employ to verify our initial perceptions.

I'm happy to report that, despite many disappointments, we did find one house that will really impress you.  I'll wait to divulge specifics for the time being, but I will say that this winery employs the talents of famed winemaking consultant Riccardo Cotarella, and is churning out some great wines from the unlikely varieties-- for Puglia-- of Petite Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay, as well as the traditional, local varieties Negroamaro, Malvasia, and Aglianico.

Now, I know Cotarella has attracted the ire of staunch traditionalists who decry his techniques as producing "international" styled wines, and while this may be true in some cases, he also has an impressive list of distinguished and unique wines, such as Montevetrano and Feudi di San Gregorio in Campania, Ditajuti in Le Marche, or San Patrignano in Emilia-Romagna.  I think this new Pugliese effort will join those exalted marques soon, as well.

With the big trade show, Vinitaly, just a few weeks away, I didn't want to spill the beans prematurely, so stay tuned here for a proper announcement by mid-April.