Tasting notes and recommendations include this proper dry rosé made from local variety Negroamaro, two white wines and five reds also showcasing Primitivo and Malvasia Nera.
Winspeare was born in Italy in 1840 into a family of English origin that had moved to Naples the previous century. He married a local countess, graduated in law and held the post of prefect in a few different towns in southern Italy, before then serving in Turin, Milan, Venice and Florence. (Summarised from government site 1.prefettura.it and translated on deepl.com.)
RMJ posing in an autumnal vineyard outside the town of Salve.
The Castel di Salve estate is now run by the fourth and fifth generations of this family headed up by Riccardo. They own vineyards in the villages of Salve, Supersano (the majority of vines are here at Masseria Bosco Belvedere) and Depressa, the latter being home to the main winemaking and ageing cellar.
All their wines are Salento IGT:
Santimedici Verdeca 2024 (12% abv) - Verdeca is a lesser-known white variety mostly found in Puglia. According to wine-searcher.com: "There is evidence suggesting that Verdeca may have originated further east in the Mediterranean, in either Croatia or Greece. Respected ampelographer José Vouillamoz suggests it is in fact the same variety as (the Greek) Lagorthi." Aromatic and zesty with nice citrus fruit and salty fennel notes, crisp vs fruity finish. Good simple dry white. €10 cellar door.
Frusufao Fiano 2023 (12%) - Lees-stirring for one week and malolactic fermentation in tank. Quite rich but still aromatic with attractive honeyed flavours and nutty texture vs saline notes, maturing and quite long finish. Good white too, more complex than the other one. €13
Santimedici Rosato 2024 (12.5%) - 100% Negroamaro, macerated 12 hours on the skins for fuller colour. Deep red cherry colour, ripe red fruity with light earthy tones, fresh acidity adding dry bite to the lively and rich fruit. Proper good rosé. €10
Armécolo Rosso 2022 (14%) - 80% Negroamaro, 20% Malvasia Nera di Lecce. Ripe full-on nose of aromatic dark cherries, marzipan and wild herbs, attractive rounded tannins with appealing lightly rustic finish suggesting black olive flavours. Very tasty, well-balanced red drinking nicely now. €13
Priante Rosso 2021 (13.5%) - 50/50 Negroamaro and Montepulciano (the latter spent 11 months in barrel). Hints of dusty scented oak on the nose, more 'polished' style showing spicier coconut-tinged fruit, still quite firmly structured for its age but with well-integrated tannins. Another well-made red. €15
Centino Primitivo 2022 (14%) - 100% Primitivo, matured for six months in used barrels. Wild-edged warm-herby nose, spicy and intense palate with firm powerful finish, nicely layered with rich ripe dark cherry fruit though and lovely peppery notes. Very good. €17
Cento Su Cento Rosso 2020 (15%) - 100% Primitivo (longer maceration), nine months in oak. Smoky maturing nose, concentrated and extracted mouthfeel, pretty solid, firm and punchy to finish; good although less appealing and balanced than the others. €25
Lama del Tenente Rosso 2020 (15%) - Primitivo, Montepulciano and Malvasia Nera; 12 months oak-ageing. Lovely nose, ripe wild and savoury, again it's dense and concentrated with grippy powerful and full-on palate, although it's saved by the good depth of fruit and that fabulous start. €32
I called in for one of their tutored tastings while on holiday recently (€15 per person), and there are other visiting options including a full winery tour or a group lunch as well.
More info: casteldisalve.com.
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