Once again the sun is shining and we know we’re going to have a great day! We leave the hotel and drive to a delightful cantina that is off the beaten track – Villa Schinosa. Villa Schinosa is a family run operation. We received a very warm reception from Maria as we pulled up to their cantina. They have a beautiful property with buildings blanketed in brilliant bougainvillea. It is truly breathtaking. Maria took us around the property explaining that it has been in the family for years and that now her son Corrado is at the helm. While it seems like theirs is a small operation, they actually own 200 hectares of land, 65 of which are cultivated with vines and olive and almond trees. They produce 500,000 bottles of wine per year under 15 different labels.
In addition to the typical Puglian varietals, they also grow Uve di Troia, Bombino Nero and Bombino Bianco. As the weather was finally in our favour (it poured the night before!), we were able to taste their products outdoors alongside the usual Puglian snacks of tarallini, olives, and smoked mozzerella. After scraping the mud off our shoes we happily sampled their award winning Fiano, a wonderful rose called Pezza Galitta – a blend of Bombino Nero and Aglianico, their Nero di Troia and finally their Moscato di Trani – a delicious passito that wowed everyone. While tasting, Corrado joined us to present his wines and answer all of our questions as well as pose for a few pictures! We were all taken by the warmth of this welcome thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Unfortunately, while Villa Schinosa exports internationally they do not ship to Canada. Should you find yourself in the US, look for their products there especially in New York City.