1. Megale - Feudo Croce
As mentioned in Our Top 5 Wineries, the flagship wine from the Feudo Croce winery Imperio LXXIV was in Wine Spectator's Top 100 wines in the world in 2014 and 2015. It is an excellent wine and at less than €20 a bottle it is also terrific value. However, it is the winery's negroamaro, Megale, that tops our Red Wine list. I love the intense colour and the slightly spicy perfume that hints at something more than just a big fruit taste. This is an excellent drinking wine - a wine that you can drink every day, a wine to enjoy with friends, a wine to enjoy by yourself. In terms of pure rating there is probably not a lot between Megale and Imperio. However, at around €7 a bottle I can get at two bottles of Megale for a bottle of Imperio and still have change left over - so it is a no-brainer!

2. Diciotto - Schola Sarmenti
I discovered this beauty during Cantine Aperte in 2018 (one of our favourite Events of the year). Schola Sarmenti has a stunning building in the town of Nardo and is well worth a visit if you are down that way. Diciotto is a world class primitivo that is actually classified as an IGT Salento Red. It comes from vines that are around 80 years old and only the best grape bunches are selected for the wine. The smell is intoxicating (and not just because as its name suggests this wine weighs in at hefty 18%!) and it packs a huge amount of flavour into every mouthful. Very much a wine for a (very) special occasion. It is pricey (especially by Puglian standards) but it is worth paying the premium for a really well made wine. Interestingly, Diciotto has a brother label, Nerìo which also made it into Wine Spectator's Top 100 wines list in 2015!

3. Elegia - CP Vini
It is not possible to have a Top 5 Red Wines of Puglia without at least one Primitivo di Manduria DOC and this is our choice. Elegia is an excellent mid-priced wine (under €15) which is particularly good with a traditional roast dinner - indeed this is usually one of the wines on our table on Christmas Day. However, it can also be enjoyed on its own. I quite like the almost jammy dark fruit aromas and the long cherry-rich finish. I also like the smoothness imparted by the oak barrels which add some subtle complexity to the wine. For people who prefer a bit more oak then the winery's flagship Sonetto might be more to your taste.

4. Aiace - Castello Monaci
Aiace is a Salice Salentino Riserva DOC named after the King of Salamina who distinguished himself during the Trojan Wars with his strength and great courage. The naming seems to be very apt! Made from a blend of negroamaro and malvasia nera di Lecce this is a lovely deep red wine. Under the initial red fruit aromas and taste there is a really nice spiciness that is reminiscent of the smell of a winter kitchen. Indeed there is almost a hint of port to the taste and smell - although with the weight and feel of a red wine in the mouth. It goes really well with roasted meat but is also good with dark chocolate. Perhaps unsurprisingly this is another wine that is usually on our table on Christmas Day!

5. Askos Susumaniello - Masseria Li Veli
The Askos range from Masseria Li Veli is definitely one worth looking at for. It is named after the Greek word for decanter in homage to Puglia's long wine making history - when this region was part of Ancient Greece it was known as "Wine Country". The wines in this range are all made from ancient Puglian grape varieties (verdeca, susumaniello, primitivo and malvesia nera di Lecce) using largely traditional cultivation methods. I like all of them but my favourite is definitely the Susumaniello option. It is a fantastic example of this relatively unknown grape variety with a slightly softer fruit flavour than some of the region's heavyweight grapes.

I know that it is supposed to only be a Top 5 but I couldn't really not mention Muro Sant'Angelo Contrada Barbatto from Tenute Chiaromonte. This wine hails from the hillier region to the north of the Masseria near the town of Acquaviva delle Fonti and is a fabulous example of a Primitivo DOC Gioia del Colle. It is therefore a really good option for comparing to our local Primitivo di Manduria wines and understanding how the different terrain, weather conditions, etc can radically change the taste of what is exactly the same grape. This wine was announced by Gambero Rosso as their Best Red Wine in Italy in 2017 and is well deserved. I personally prefer the extra edginess of the Manduria version but this is still a stand out wine.

1. Saturnino - Tenute Rubino
We love almost everything about Saturnino from its incredibly intense colour, which just embarrasses what used to pass for rosé wine in the bad old days, to the smell of fresh pomegranates and a near perfect taste. It is a superb option for a hot summer's day, or for watching the world go by at the winery's stunningly located harbour-side wine bar in Brindisi. It is a really good example as to why Puglian rosato is becoming so popular. It is a great balance between the lightness and freshness of a white wine but with the full fruitiness and powerful flavour punch delivered by a red. This particular wine is great with seafood pasta but it is also great to drink on its own with friends.

2. Kreos - Castello Monaci
Kreos is another fantastic rosato made from negroamaro grapes. It too has a stunning colour and takes its name from Eos, the Greek goddess of the dawn who Homer referred to as the "rosy fingered goddess" due to the colour of the sky at sunrise. As you would expect from a negroamaro the flavours and aromas of cherry and red berries are prevalent but there is a subtle citrus element too. Definitely one of the best buys around and one that is unlikely to make it back home in your suitcase unless you have excellent powers of self-control!!

3. Elfo - Apollonio
Under the Elfo label, Apollonio have two rosato wines, one made with negroamaro but our favourite is made with 100% susumaniello grapes. The Elfo Susumaniello again has a really striking colour - but this time it is more of a coral red, almost copper shade. I think with the simple styling of the label that it creates a really impressive look to the bottle. The strawberry and red cherry aroma is delicious and really carries through to the taste. Light, crisp, refreshing and with a good finish. Yum.
If you get the chance to visit the winery it is really worthwhile. The winery building is very impressive - the doors from the reception area through to the barrel room create a real "wow" and the barrel room itself is one of the most memorable I have visited. Stylish, modern and traditional blended just so!

4. Masserei - Schola Sarmenti
The Masserei is yet another great looking wine. The intense colour is inherited from the really dark skins of the negroamaro grapes (most rosato wine in Puglia only requires the skins to be in contact with the juice for between 8 and 20 hours to obtain this fantastic hue). The strawberry and red berry fruits are perhaps a little more delicate than in some of the other selections but it is a really refreshing wine. Probably slightly more suited to drinking as an aperitif as the sun dips below the horizon.

5. Five Roses - Leone de Castris
​Five Roses is probably the most famous rosato wine from Puglia - primarily because in 1943 it became the first rosato wine in the whole country to be bottled. During the liberation of Italy during the Second World War, the general in charge of procurement for the US Army requested a large provision of rosé wine and this explains its anglicised name. The name itself originates from the fact that for several generations of the Leone de Castris family the parents were blessed with exactly five children. The wine is made from a blend of negroamaro and malvasia nera di Lecce grapes and has a paler colour than the others on the list - more like a slightly under-ripe red cherry. 

1. Charà - Castello Monaci
An impressive showing from Castello Monaci as they complete the clean sweep of having one wine featuring in each of our Top 5 listings! And they round it off with a winner! Charà is also the first of our selections from a non-native grape variety, chardonnay. I know we were surprised too!! However, this is a great wine. It gets its name from the local dialect word for joy and that is exactly what it is. The wine is 100% chardonnay but it a blend of two harvests - one made from younger vines aged in stainless steel tanks and one from older vines that have then been aged in oak. The result is a young, fresh, vibrant taste with a hint of oakiness in the background. Very different to the big, over-oaked chardonnays that dominated the market a few years ago. Not necessarily an everyday wine or one suited to drinking on a hot afternoon but we love it.

2. Diece Grana - Trullo di Pezza
Diece Grana is a great fiano - it has a pale straw colour that perhaps belies the intensity of the aromas of citrus fruit, green apples and pears with a hint of Mediterranean herbs and sea air. This is one of the best smelling wines around. The flavour too is fresh and full - perfect with some of the amazing local cheeses. According to the charming girl who used to host our tours here - the biological production methods also mean that you can drink as much of this wine as you like without getting a headache the following morning. Anyone up for some research???

3. Elfo - Apollonio
As mentioned previously this grape variety has a bit of a mixed reputation. However, Apollonio's Elfo Bianco d'Alessano is widely acclaimed by critics to be one of the very best examples of a wine made from the grape and evidence that the future for this variety could be brighter. We like the floral aromas and the exotic / tropical flavours of passionfruit and peaches that make this wine a little different.

4. Estella - San Marzano
I am not sure whether we can nominate a wine solely for its label but when Lucy was trying to remember the name she perfectly described the label and I knew immediately which wine she meant! Estella is another fiano and the vineyard is not too far from Trullo di Pezza - so it is no surprise that there are many similarities between the two. This is possibly slightly more floral and maybe slightly reminiscent of freshly picked apricots or peaches. Interestingly it seems to be particularly popular in the Far East having picked up several awards in Asia and Japan in particular. Really good with shellfish.

5. Animè - Feudi di Guagnano
When we were asked to host a wedding in 2017, we were desperate to find a local sparkling white that we could use for the welcome drinks and the toasts during dinner. Our bride and groom were keen to stick with the tried and tested prosecco but thankfully let us "persuade" them to try Animè instead. This wine is made from the verdeca grape and is produced using the Charmat method (second fermentation in stainless steel tanks prior to bottling) - the same as prosecco. The result is that the bubbles tend to be smaller and more lively on the tongue - almost a fizz rather than a sparkle. The couple brought some prosecco with them but when they tasted Animè decided that it was far nicer and took a box back with them as a reminder of their special day. It will, therefore, forever have a place in our hearts too.