Masseria Li Veli farms in Puglia, the long thin heel of Italy, where the sun does most of the work and the grapes ripen early. Verdeca is the grape here, a white variety that has grown in the south for centuries and was long used to soften blends. This one is bottled on its own, from the Salento IGT.
- Verdeca, an old white grape of southern Italy.
- Salento IGT, the flat, sunlit far south of Puglia.
- 2023 vintage, 13% alcohol.
- Dry, medium body, high acidity.
- 750ml bottle.
How it is made
Verdeca is a grape that keeps its acid even when it ripens fully, which is why it survived in a region better known for reds. Salento IGT is a broad appellation, so the wine is not bound by the strict ageing or blending rules of a DOC. The variety is picked on its own and vinified as a single-varietal white.
How it tastes
White peach and citrus first, then something firmer underneath: almond, a saline edge, a mineral finish. The acidity is high and the body medium, so it reads full in the mouth without being heavy. The existing note puts tropical fruit and pear alongside fresh spice, and that fruit-forward opening is real, but the saline close is what stays.
Good to know
Verdeca is one of the grapes DNA testing has linked to the wider family that includes Greco and Asprinio. It was nearly abandoned in the twentieth century, kept alive mostly as a blending grape, before a handful of Puglian estates started bottling it alone.
