We headed into wine country to visit Tormaresca, an Antinori interest in the heart of Puglia.  Tormaresca has a beautiful property with vines and olive trees to the horizon.  With 130 hectares at this location and another 200 between Brindisi and Lecce they produce 3 million bottles of wine a year.  Their main grapes are Moscato, Fiano, Chardonnay for whites and Aglianico, Negro Amaro, Primitivo and Cabernet Sauvignon for reds.

 They only use new French oak barriques which cost €700 each.  They are used three times then sold for €30!  This is a relatively new operation having with first vines planted in 1998 and the last ones in 2010.  We were invited into their tasting room where set tables were waiting for us.  We sampled a wide variety of their products starting with Chardonnay, Calafuria Rose – 100% Negro Amaro, Neprica – Negro Amaro, Primitivo and Cabernet blend, Trentangeli – an Aglianico, Cabernet and Syrah blend, Bocca di Lupo – their signature wine made with 100% Aglianico and finally Kaloro – a passito style moscato dessert wine.  From time to time, Vintages brings in products from Tormaresca and currently Trentangeli is available in some stores as well as Torcicoda, a Primitivo, which we didn’t sample.  Always good to keep your eyes peeled for these distinguished and dependable products.