As happened to many Apulians, Don Peppino Montanaro had to leave his land to look for work and luck elsewhere. He made it, giving life to Kikau, a leading company in Europe in the sector of non-toxic paints and aluminum shutters. But the "agricultural cell", as he himself defines the love for the land that his grandparents had passed on to him, has never abandoned it, so much so that in the mid-nineties he began to invest also in the fruit and vegetable sector: with production of table grapes, luck was added another fortune. Without capital problems, you can think of turning a dream into reality and creating in Puglia, a place that has a lot to do with magic.
We are a Crispiano, in territory known as the "hundred masserie" and Amastuola, purchased by Don Peppino in 2003, was an important agricultural center already in the fifteenth century. From the terraces of the company the gaze sweeps over what is the unique peculiarity of the estate, the garden-vineyard, created by the Spanish landscape gardener Ferrando Caruncho from 2003 to 2006: it is a single body of 101 hectares, with the rows arranged in parallel waves, interspersed with flower beds with ancient olive trees and surrounded by five kilometers of dry stone walls. The particular arrangement and exposure of the plants allows the wind to circulate in the right way, thus ensuring healthy grapes that can be brought to an optimal maturation; the rest is done by the mineral-rich soils that ensure the wines have the right flavor.
The first harvest dates back to 2010 and production now stands at 150,000 bottles a year, all certified organic.
The primitive 2016 is the simplest red of the company, as well as the wine that best represents its philosophy (its older brothers are the Lamarossa 2015 and the Centosassi 2015): it is a very territorial label, with explosive hints of wild berries and plum, which combine with the scent of the violet and some salty notes, which reminds the proximity of the sea. Thanks to the harvest of the grapes carried out in three times, it is a fresh Primitivo, very drinkable and with an amazing relationship between quality and price.
From 2017 Amastuola also includes a wine resort with design rooms in the old farmhouse and an excellent restaurant where you can taste the Apulian flavors revisited with creativity. One more reason to plan the visit.
Why now: it is a very suitable red to accompany the meat dishes of the Easter tradition.
As did: after fermentation with maceration at a controlled temperature of three weeks, the wine is aged for 18 months, partly in oak barrels, partly in steel.
To combine with: baked lasagna, meatballs with sauce, lamb and roast kid.
Serve it at: 16 ° C.
Price: 10 euros
amastuola.it
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