The history of our winery is intimately connected with a unique corner of the earth appropriately known, by those who visit us, as “The Other Puglia.” In describing this Region, most people obviously speak about its coasts, the Adriatic and Ionian seas, the sun, and its wines, powerful yet by the same token, a tad rough-edged. But our area, our own Puglia, is something quite different, and in some ways unexpected. The area is marked by distinctive, gently rolling hills called murge–a expressive word meaning “rock”–; a cool, temperate climate; a mineral-rich subsoil; natural karst springs; woods, meadows, and pastureland, all of which make it a small paradise. Human settlements here stretch back into pre-history, and the inhabitants were cultivating the grapevine over 1,200 years ago. Emperor Frederick II of Swabia established his hunting preserve in the Murge, calling it a “Garden of Delights,” and contributed as well to the further development of the local viticulture. The wines produced here were famous in the surrounding territories for their quality, and for their freshness and fragrance, characteristics rather uncommon in Italy’s southern regions. The local wines were widely traded even in antiquity, and were much prized by travellers, who left tributes to them in their writings. Influenced by these factors, the D’Agostino family decided, in 1991, to take concrete advantage of their professional experience in other sectors by turning the venerable Cantina Sociale into a “modern winery with ancient roots.” Brothers Beniamino and Alberto, working together with a management team of viticultural and winemaking experts, put together a new way of making wine in Puglia.
Tasting Notes: Brilliant ruby-red in color, aromas of black cherries and baking spices complement undertones of tobacco and mint. On the palate, this substantial red is smooth and velvety with balanced acidity and a long, pleasant finish.
Pairing Notes: Barbeque, orange glazed duck, game and slow braised beefBar
