| History |
Artas the Messapian chief who, in 413 B.C., in accordance with an ancient treaty of friendship between Messapia and Athens, provided 150 javelin throwers to support the Athenian expedition to Sicily in the so-called Peloponnesian war between Sparta and Athens. The Messapians, a warlike and independent people, inhabited the southern part of Puglia, and were known as Salentini. It is thought that this name signifies “the people between the seas” because they were based in the south of Puglia between the Adriatic and Ionian seas. |
| Soil composition |
Dry soil mixed with fissile tufaceous limestone rock. |
| No. plants per hectare |
About 5000 vines per hectare. |
| Harvest |
Grapes are picked by hand very early in the morning. In the cellar the product just pressed is immediately cooled and kept cold for several days in order to preserve all the intrinsic characteristics of the primitive grapes. |
| Vinification |
Vinification, with a maceration of about 15 days, is noteworthy for the judicious use of frequent but not aggressive remontages and for a skilful employment of changes of temperature: all this gives the wine an elegant and, at the same time, modern structure. |
| Ageing |
After malolactic fermentation, the wine is left for about 6 months to mature in small oak casks and for 6 months in large barrels. This is followed by further for 6 months in the bottle. |
| Pairing |
Red meat roasts, game, medium-mature goat cheeses. |