Nero di Troia Puglia IGT 2018 – Massimo Leone

The Winery started its activity in 2007, lies in the centre of “Tavoliere delle Puglie”, with the desire of a farmer to revive and protect the ancient connection between history and land. This is the reason why they chose to plant native grape varieties, and mark once again the road that the Greeks lined out thousands of years before. The Vines are planted on a light coloured and rocky soil on which the only vine training system you can use is the espalier. Their purpose is quality and in order to reach it they pay the highest care through an adequate irrigation, a careful pruning and rasping, and a low yield per hectare. The grapes are harvested manually when the perfect balance between sugars and acids is reached. The vines are located very closet o the cellar where Fiano, Falanghina, Bombino, Primitivo, Aglianico, Nero di Troia and Montepulciano are cultivated. With regard to the methods of cultivation, Cantine Massimo Leone does not use insecticides and rely solely on the traditional use of sulphur and copper which strongly discourage the presence of mildew and powdery mildew thanks to the ideal climatic conditions in Puglia. As fertilizer and for nitrogen fixation they plant fava beans in their vineyards. The use of field beans, as fertilizer goes back to the Treaties on agriculture of the ancient Roman Empire. Is an efficient and natural way to fertilize the field and significantly increases the availability of nutrients in the soil improves its physical structure.

Nero di Troia

This grape is a very ancient variety, native to the southern Italian region of Puglia, historically used in blends, it has been showing its full potential in recent years. Legend has it, this variety may have arrived in Puglia from the ancient Greek town of Troy, and thanks to Diomedes, King of Argo who fought in the Trojan war. Also called Uva di Troia, Nero di Troia is the third most important of Puglia’s native black grape vines after Negroamaro and Primitivo. If Negroamaro, grown in the provinces of Brindisi and Lecce, is the most important for all the denominations of origin in the Salento and Primitivo identifies the labels produced in the province of Taranto, Nero di Troia has its ideal terroir in the province of Foggia and in the northern part of the province of Bari. This trio of black grape varieties express all the rich diversity of Puglia’s wine-growing sector. Nero di Troia has given also an important contribution to the development of the Castel del Monte area. In addition, the rediscovery of Nero di Troia and its territory  has also drawn attention to other lesser known native varieties like Bombino Bianco and Bombino Nero, both long underrated although they produce delightful wines.