Puglia, Redux!
APRIL 2026
Last December, our club theme was Puglia, featuring Primitivo & Negroamaro from Taranto, a town on inside of the heel of the boot, almost to the border with Basilicata. We don't often return to a theme within a 12-month period, but Puglia grows a ton of grapes (most of them you've never heard of) and the wines have terrific value, so we're going there again!
This time, your club features a white wine made from the Trebbiano grape and an easy-drinking Sangiovese. Cheers to the good work of Puglia!
L'Antica Cantina San Severo
Northern Puglia
This co-op was established in 1933 in northern Puglia with the idea of all co-ops, that when growers work together, they achieve economies of scale and get more value for their grapes. The DOC San Severo was established in 1968. The growers focus on indigenous grapes, producing whites: Bombino Bianco, Falanghina, Trebbiano and reds: Nero di Troia & Primitivo.
Puglia is relatively flat with fertile soils, growing an abundance of fruits, vegetables and grains, including lots of olives and wine grapes. The region has a Mediterranean climate, so hot in summer, cool in winter, with excellent ocean breezes (which develops acidity, helps control pests, and imparts a wonderful minerality on the wines).
L’Antica Cantine San Severo 2024 Trebbiano • Puglia, Italy • Reg $14.99 | Mixed Case $11.99
Winery says: predominantly Trebbiano. Nose = flowers, herbs, spices & a note of red apple. Great acidy. Elegant, harmonious. Medium-bodied. Flavors of apples, red & green pears with a note of crunchy pineapple and a dry, citrusy finish. This wine goes with everything: fish, chicken, pork, tomato dishes, pasta & more. Drink now to 1 year.
Famiglia Castellani
Sangiovese is the grape of central Italy. It's mainly grown in Tuscany, but it's also commonly found in Umbria, Marche, and Emilia-Romagna (not on the map, but just north of Tuscany). The grape is less associated with Puglia as the region's focus is on its indigenous reds: Primitivo, Negroamaro, Nero di Troia & more. But 15% of Puglia's production is Sangiovese.
Castellani is a Tuscan producer that sources grapes in Puglia for a better-priced, second label wine. The Sangiovese vines (above) are from their estate. When we asked our Italian importer (who's from Puglia!) if he had more info on the grapes and the production of this wine, he looked at us and shrugged, inferring: You Americans... Just drink it and enjoy. It's a great price. (By the way, he brings this wine in for his Italian restaurants in town.)
Petraio 2023 Sangiovese • Puglia, Italy • Reg $16.99 | Mixed Case $13.59
100% Sangiovese. Black cherries, dark plums, herbal notes. Medium-bodied with soft acidity. Flavors add in dark raspberries (with a little more acidity), blackberries. Kind of a fresh earthy, herbal finish. For that price, it’s ridiculously good. Jens: “What you pay at the gas pump, you save at Portalis!” Enjoy with traditional, Italian, tomato-based dishes. This is also a Sangiovese you could sip!
A Note from Jens:
Your wine club pick-up tasting is always the 2nd Saturday of the month. We host this tasting so that you can taste and learn about your wines before enjoying them at home.
Check out the historic photo from the San Severo co-op. Puglia is doing great work in the affordable category, and these two wines are terrific value wines. Hope you can join to taste them both!
You'll also be able to taste the FLAGSHIP club wines. Our April theme is Italian Varietals from Washington State, featuring Nero d'Avola, Malvasia Bianco, and a Primitivo-Negroamaro blend – all three the work of Bart Fawbush at Bartholomew.
Hope you can join!
Cheers,
Jens Strecker, Owner
Portalis Wine Shop
If you are here because you’re curious about our wine clubs: Here’s more general info & online sign-up. You can also peruse the last 12 months of both clubs to get a feel for the themes we pick and the wines we showcase: Portalis EXPLORES (our everyday wine club) & Portalis FLAGSHIP (our signature club).