From the very beginning, we have always thought of our wines as “food,” in other words, products that offer drinkability and balanced aromas and flavors when paired with dishes at the dinner table. Wholesomeness and food-safety are also key elements in our approach to winemaking. Beginning with the 2004 vintage, we have also sought to make a contribution to scientific research.

At that time, we began working with the ISPA-CNR – Italy’s Institute of Sciences of Food Production and National Research Council – and the Department of Agriculture and the University of Bari. Our research projects have included the reduction of the risk of micro-toxins, the identification and reproduction of yeast strains indigenous to Negromaro, and, most recently, on the sensorial contamination caused by Brettanomyces.

That same year we also launched a two-fold campaign to minimize the environmental impact of herbicides and pesticides in the vineyards and to raise quality in the wines. For the implementation of this vineyard management program, we turned to Cataldo Ferrari, one of the most talented and impassioned agronomists working in the Salento peninsula today.

These campaigns have helped us to face the challenges posed by the capricious nature of Global Warming and they also inspire us as we continue in our quest to produce wines that express our land while remaining consumer-friendly.