Viva Verdeca !

Savvy drinkers in the UK have recognised the value for money of wines from Puglia in the heel of Italy for some time now.  Bold, full bodied red wines from this region have become staples of supermarket shelves in the UK.  It is still not difficult to find bottles of Primitivo (aka Zinfandel in the US) for less than £8 and trading up to a wine from the Prinitivo di Manduria DOC, albeit perhaps part of a multibuy deal, can secure a wine characterised by intense flavours and ripe dark fruits, hints of spice and vanilla and wonderful velvety tannins.  Alternative big red wines from Puglia are made from the Negroamaro grape and these too have had some traction in the UK recently.  Visiting the area a few years ago I came across other decent red wines made from the less widely planted grape Susumaniello and I have to admit I tend to seek this out on wine lists when eating in Lecce, Gallipoli simply because it is NOT readily available in the UK.  But actually when you're visiting southern Italy in the heat of summer with temperatures hitting 35C a hefty rich red wine is hardly the most attractive option.  In this context a juicy steak or rich stew suddenly loses its appeal.  This is the situation we found ourselves in recently on another multi-centre trip staying in Lecce, Nardo and just inland from Castro.  Fortunately the narrow Salento Peninsular is bordered on one side by the Adriatic and on the other by the Ionian Sea so there is a plentiful supply of seafood.  We were eating sea bass, mullet, swordfish, langoustines, tuna and clams so what are the accompanying wine choices now?

ROSÉ WINES 

Although Puglia is primarily known for its robust reds winemakers clearly recognise there is potential and a need to produce lighter alternatives.  You find a good selection of rosés on restaurant wine lists made from local red grape varieties.  Some have already reached the UK too to satisfy our demand for rosé wines (see M&S Found Susumaniello Rosé and Waitrose Loved & Found Susumaniello Organic Puglia Rosé).

WHITE WINES

Various grape varieties feature in Puglia's white wines.  At present Verdeca, Malvasia Bianco, Fiano and Chardonnay are most widely planted but Verdeca is interesting because it is native to Puglia and is grown almost uniquely in the Salento Peninsular. It was the white wines made from Verdeca that we found the most compelling accompaniment to all the seafood we were eating.   

In recent years there have been a couple of Verdeca wines in British supermarkets - Morrisons The Best Verdeca and the Discovery Collection Verdeca at Sainsburys.  Sadly, both now seem to have come to an end.  This is a pity since, even with recent price increases I suspect they would still be good value for money coming in below the £10 mark.

Sainsburys Discovery Collection Verdeca

However it was the San Marzano Talò Puglia Verdeca 2024 encountered a few times on this trip that stood out for us.  It's made by the Cantine San Marzano, a large and well-respected cooperative midway between the wine town of Manduria and the port city of Taranto.  Interestingly, it's the same cooperative that supplied Morrisons The Best Verdeca.  But, unlike the supermarket wine (90% Verdeca plus 5% each of Malvasia and Sauvignon Blanc) this Talò bottle is 100% Verdeca.  

Verdeca is a floral wine characterised by citrus flavours and relatively high acidity.  But in our experience basic Verdeca is light and fresh but relatively characterless; a welcome chilled aperitif wine yet little more.  The Talò Verdeca is finished in French oak for 3 months after fermentation in stainless steel.  This serves to tone down the natural acidity of the grape and impart an attractive creaminess to the texture.  Tropical rather than citrus fruit flavours tend to engage the senses leading to a crisp and refreshing finish.  At 19€ a bottle on the wine list at Vico dei Cuciniere in Lecce and 20€ at La Corte Degli Ulivi in Vignicastrisi, near Castro it was the perfect accompaniment to lovely meals on warm summer evenings.

Interestingly, back in the UK I see that one or two independents list this San Marzano Talò Verdeca on their websites and the best price I can find is £10.99 reduced from £12.69 at All About Wine.  With a 6 bottle minimum order and £7.96 standard delivery this totals £72.10 - just over £12 a bottle.  I am sorely tempted.  After all it will be cheaper than we were paying in the Italian restaurants and it will keep the memories of a wonderful trip going for the next few months.