Aleatico di Puglia

Aleatico di Puglia

Aleatico di Puglia is a typical liqueur wine with a long tradition. The word Puglia in the name is due to the fact that, that the wine is produced practically throughout the territory of the region. The greatest concentration of production, however, occurs in the region of Bari and on the Salentinian Peninsula, which is the southernmost part of Puglia.

In ancient times, the Salento area was colonized by the Illyrians, Indo-European people brought here, as the legend says, by Idomeneus, important figure in Greek mythology. Confirmation of the relationship between Idomeneus and Puglia can be found in the verses of the famous Latin poet, Virgil: „… and here, to the area of ​​Salentino, Idomeneus brought his Cretans”, referring to the appearance of Idomeneus with the army in Salento around a year 1170-1169 p.n.e.. Colonizatorom, who took the name Salentini, some attribute the initiation of viticulture in these areas.

It is still not certain whether the Aleatico variety has already grown in these lands, before the arrival of the colonizers. Reliable historical sources say, that the grapevine was known in the south of Italy at least a thousand years before their arrival. Whether, where the truth lies, it is certain, that the people of the Salento area (later called Messaps) they make a significant contribution to the development of viticulture and wine produced from it. The variety is grown to this day on small ones, plots scattered around the area, practically all over Puglia. A distinctive feature of this variety are small bunches and scarlet berries, with a transparent skin covered with profusely waxy coating, giving them a matt effect.