Stretching more than 200 miles from tip to tip, Puglia is a land of exciting diversity. Many wine lovers are familiar with this southern Italian region’s stalwart grape, Primitivo, but a revisit might be in order to understand the variety’s true range. The most famous is Primitivo di Manduria Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC), a region in the province of Taranto that sits alongside the Ionian Sea. This warm flatland environment has clay and sandy soils that produce rich wines.

Flavors of liquor-soaked berries, figs and orange rind are typically bolstered by heavy-handed oak, and it is not uncommon for the alcohol to soar up to 16% abv. However, despite all that power, balance can still be found in examples that maintain plenty of fresh acidity to counteract the lush fruit and oak tones.