Territory
WE CULTIVATE A GENUINE PASSION ROOTED IN THE HISTORY OF THE TERRITORY, OUR HISTORY
THE ALTA MURGIA AND CASTEL DEL MONTE
The Alta Murgia and the Castel del Monte area represent a portion of Puglian territory of inestimable oenological value. Their common denominator is a rocky terrain rich in spontaneous vegetation, situated at a slight altitude, gently sloping towards the Adriatic Sea. In this natural setting, the landscape is marked by ancient vines cultivated in "alberello" style, long corridors typical of "cordone speronato" training, and vast fertile expanses of "pergola pugliese" vineyards. For experts and wine lovers seeking excellent wineries, deeply understanding the Puglian terroir of Alta Murgia is essential to fully appreciate our wines.
Native grape varieties of Alta Murgia in Puglia: Nero di Troia, Bombino Nero, Bombino Bianco, Moscatello Selvatico, Pampanuto or Verdeca.
Alta Murgia, with its wild nature and endless horizons, is the beating heart of Puglian viticulture, a place where tradition is renewed through the most modern techniques to create wines of extraordinary quality. This region, culminating in the picturesque setting of Castel del Monte, is renowned for its ability to produce red wine with a distinctive character and marked personality. The undisputed queen among the black grape varieties is the famous Nero di Troia, native and with a high polyphenolic content, embodying the spirit of these lands. Alongside it, the Bombino Nero variety enriches the wine landscape of Puglian rosé wines, thanks to its unique characteristics. Completing the bouquet of native grape varieties of the Puglian Terroir of Alta Murgia are Bombino Bianco, Moscatello Selvatico, Pampanuto, also known as Verdeca.
The experience of tasting wines from these grapes is a sensory journey through the history and culture of a proud and generous land, which through each glass tells its deepest identity, inviting you to discover the magic of Puglian red, rosé, and white wines and the breathtaking landscapes among which the ancient vineyards stand out like jewels.
Terroir
The Territorial Imprint of Alta Murgia and the Castel del Monte area on CRIFO wines.
The combination of limestone soil, significant temperature variations, and constant ventilation provides the ideal environment for producing red wines with a fine tannic texture, rosé wines from native Puglian grapes with a unique sensory identity, high intrinsic quality, and significant aging potential. For white wines, the limestone soils and deposits of limestone tuff and clay typical of Alta Murgia impart a pronounced minerality and sapidity, essential elements for achieving fresh, vibrant whites with excellent acidity. The altitude and ventilation also preserve complex aromatic profiles, making the whites of Alta Murgia exceptionally fresh and suitable for sparkling wine production. These are the most relevant characteristics sought by connoisseurs of excellent red, white, and rosé wines.
High daytime temperatures favor the synthesis of sugars and aromatic precursors
Cool nights preserve acidity and volatile compounds
Limestone soil
The predominant geological substrate of Alta Murgia is limestone and karst, and it is the cornerstone for the wine production of this part of Puglia. This soil, often shallow and rich in stones, forces the vine roots to search deeply for water and nutrients, inducing controlled water stress that results in smaller berries but with very high polyphenolic and aromatic concentration. The permeability of the limestone soil ensures excellent drainage, preventing waterlogging and promoting optimal grape health.
Temperature variations
The microclimate is equally crucial. The significant temperature variations between day and night, typical of the Murgian heights even near the Adriatic Sea, play a crucial role. High daytime temperatures favor the synthesis of sugars and aromatic precursors, while cool nights preserve acidity and volatile compounds, ensuring balance and freshness even in the most structured red wines, such as the famous wine from Nero di Troia grapes. This thermal peculiarity contributes to the elegance of the tannins and the aromatic liveliness, making these reds particularly suitable for aging.
Constant ventilation
The constant ventilation that sweeps through Alta Murgia, with the north wind, mistral, and grecale winds flowing freely over the limestone plateau without mountain barriers, has become a true hallmark of the Castel del Monte terroir, significantly contributing to the identity of the wines produced there. The airflows present for much of the year keep the atmosphere dry and ventilated even in the hottest months, reducing thermal stress on the vines and preserving the health of the grapes.
The continuous circulation quickly evaporates dew and residual moisture, hindering the development of downy mildew, powdery mildew, and botrytis, allowing for low-impact defense practices essential for organic viticulturists in the area. In vineyards located between 300 and 450 meters above sea level, the wind also provides gentle nighttime cooling, which, combined with the wide daytime temperature variations, slows maturation, thickens the skins, and increases the polyphenolic concentration of Nero di Troia.
The impact of territorial characteristics on the native grape varieties of Alta Murgia
White wines
The particular geoclimatic conditions, with the prevalence of limestone soils, optimally preserve the acidity and aromas of white grapes, giving white wines freshness and mineral sapidity.
Red wines
The morphology of the territory and the marked temperature variations between day and night ensure, instead, that black grape varieties achieve excellent phenolic maturation, guaranteeing a fine tannic texture that softens aggressiveness and gives the reds a significant aging potential, highly sought after by connoisseurs of excellence.
Rosé wines
Finally, the rosés, obtained from native Puglian grapes, also greatly benefit from the temperature variations and constant ventilation of Alta Murgia, as they preserve the natural acidity of the grapes and impart freshness and sapidity to the wine.
The territory that also enhances other grape varieties
The distinctive characteristics of the Puglian territory of Alta Murgia also benefit the cultivation of international grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. These varieties, although not native, adapt well to the climate and soil of Puglia, allowing for excellent winemaking.
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