Cristiano Guttarolo’s Puglia sits above the heat of the plains. Outside Gioia del Colle, his vineyards and olive trees grow on the limestone of the Murge Plateau, around 400 metres above sea level. Sea breezes and cool evenings make this a different setting for southern Italian wine.
He began making wine in 2004. An old stone farmhouse is the centre of the estate, with local varieties including Primitivo, Negroamaro, Susumaniello and Verdeca growing nearby.
Cristiano farms organically and leaves wild herbs and flowers among the vines for much of the year. His work in the cellar also gives the grapes space: spontaneous fermentation, simple handling and experiments with vessels including amphorae.
The result keeps the ripe fruit of Puglia while finding room for freshness and a savoury edge. Primitivo is an especially good way to understand the place. Here, its character comes from a breezy limestone plateau, with cooler nights shaping the fruit as much as the southern sun.
