Light on its feet and lively, this juicy Primitive is an easy-drinking version, showing an appealing mix of black raspberry coulis, red licorice, tangerine, dried thyme and ground pepper. Drink now. 15,000 cases made, 5,000 cases imported.
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Puglia has a long agrarian history, thanks to its relatively high proportion of flat or rolling terrain suitable for growing crops. For many centuries, Puglia’s agriculture was dominated by extensive land grants from the ruling nobility. Known as latifundi, these holdings were the equivalent of plantations or haciendas in other countries, often controlled by absentee landowners and worked by local peasants and sharecroppers. Beginning in the 16th century in Puglia, many of these latifundi began to build structures known as masserie. The masseria was sort of a cross between a castle and a farmhouse and was designed to improve the life of the farmworkers. It was typically a large stone building located in or near the fields of the latifundo with room for the managers and many of the farmworkers to sleep and for storage of equipment and harvests. It was also intended to be strong enough to protect the inhabitants from raids by pirates, bandits, and marauding soldiers.
The latifundi began to be broken up during the period of Napoleonic rule in Italy at the end of the 1700s and early 1800s, and the essentially feudal system that they represented was outlawed in 1950. By that time, most of the masserias had fallen into disrepair. One such ruin was Masseria Li Veli, located near the center of the Salento Peninsula in southern Puglia, on the southern slopes of the Murgia plateau. Many masserias have been reconstructed as residences or agritourism accommodations beginning in the 1970s, but this particular one was rebuilt much earlier for a different purpose.
The crumbling Masseria Li Veli was acquired in the late 19th century by Marchese Antonio de Viti de Marco (1858–1943), an important economist and professor who was influential in the theory of public finance in the Kingdom of Italy. In 1895, the masseria was restored to serve as a model wine cellar, demonstrating an ambitious concept for economic development for all of southern Italy. It stayed in operation until the 1950s.
The masseria is once again functioning as an important winemaking facility, having been renovated and modernized into an up-to-date production center for the Li Veli wines. The Falvo family, former owners of the Avignonesi winery in Tuscany but with Puglian roots, purchased the masseria and its 128 acres of land in 1999 and breathed new life into de Viti de Marco’s project. The vision is to establish a new quality benchmark in the region, through both vineyard management and vinification.
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LOCATIONWINERY: Cellino San Marco (Brindisi province), Puglia VINEYARD: Salento peninsula, Puglia VIEW IN GOOGLE MAPS REGION DETAILS |
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87
NOVEMBER 2022
Li Veli “Orion” Primitivo Salento IGT 2021
![]() Light on its feet and lively, this juicy Primitive is an easy-drinking version, showing an appealing mix of black raspberry coulis, red licorice, tangerine, dried thyme and ground pepper. Drink now. 15,000 cases made, 5,000 cases imported. 91
AUGUST 2022
Li Veli “Askos” Susumaniello Salento IGT 2021
![]() Lots of black cherry and blackberry with hints of vanilla. Medium-to full-bodied with delicious fruit and a juicy finish with just the right amount of austerity at the end. Drink now. ![]() NOVEMBER 2022
Li Veli “Askos” Verdeca Salento IGT 2021
![]() 90
JUNE 2021
Li Veli “Torrerose” Negroamaro Rosato Salento IGT 2020
![]() The 2020 Rosato Negroamaro Primerose lifts up with a delightfully spicy and perfumed bouquet. Rich textural depths are nicely offset by a mix of brisk acids, young strawberry fruits and chalky mineral tones. Inner rose blends with peach herbal tea as the Primerose finishes with refreshing persistence. If you’ve never experienced a Negroamaro Rose, this would be a great place to start. 90
OCTOBER 2020
Li Veli “Askos” Verdeca Salento IGT 2019
![]() Rich aromas of melon and apple meld with white blossoms on the nose. This is playful and fruity on the palate in juicy tones of apricot skins and pineapple, while a gentle grip of white tea and tangy acidity keep it all buttoned up. 91
NOVEMBER 2022
Li Veli “Masseria Li Veli” Salento IGT 2019
![]() This elegant red is medium- to full-bodied, with fine, satiny tannins and texture and a subtle overtone of Earl Grey tea. Featuring baked black plum, kirsch, min eral and mocha flavors, this shows good concentration in a harmonious frame,with a lingering, creamy finish. Primi tivo and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2027. 500 cases made, 150 cases imported. 90
NOVEMBER 2022
Li Veli “Askos” Susumaniello Salento IGT 2020
![]() WINE SPECTATOR TOP 100 #63 A lively, medium- to full-bodied red, with rich hints of melted licorice and espresso layered with aromas and flavors of blackberry tart, dried mint and olive tapenade. Well-knit, with a fine frame of chalky tannins. Drink now through 2025. 7,500 cases made, 2,500 cases imported. 88
NOVEMBER 2022
Li Veli “Askos” Verdeca Salento IGT 2021
![]() A floral, lightly chalky white, with crisp
acidity and notes of blood orange sorbet, kiwi fruit and fresh basil. Bright and snappy. Drink now. 5,500 cases made, 1,000 cases imported. |