Masseria Li Veli 'Orion' Primitivo, Salento, Puglia, Italy 2024
$30.00
Regular price $25.00Masseria Li Veli occupies an ancient Messapian site on the Salento Peninsula in southern Puglia, midway between the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. The property was originally developed in the late 19th century by the Marquis Antonio de Viti de Marco as a model winery for the whole of southern Italy, then fell dormant for decades before the Falvo family — former owners of Avignonesi in Montepulciano — acquired and restored it in 1999. Brothers Edoardo and Alfredo Falvo brought four decades of Tuscan winemaking expertise to the project with a clear mandate: to elevate Puglia's indigenous varieties beyond their historic bulk-wine identity. Today the estate farms 35 hectares of traditional alberello and espalier-trained vines, focusing exclusively on native Apulian varieties. Consultant winemaker Riccardo Cotarella oversees production. 'Orion' takes its name from the Greek word for "boundary," referencing the ancient fortified road — the Limite dei Greci — that once divided Lombard territory to the north from the Byzantine realm to the south, and which still borders Li Veli's Primitivo vineyard today.
WINEMAKER: Riccardo Cotarella
FARMING: Integrated agriculture (conventional); certified organic practices in place for other estate vineyards since 2005
VARIETY: 100% Primitivo
TERROIR: Salento IGT, commune of Cellino San Marco, province of Brindisi, Puglia. Vineyards at approximately 70 meters elevation on clay and sandy soils with calcareous traces. Maritime Mediterranean climate moderated by both the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Vines trained to spurred cordon and traditional alberello (bush vine), age 10–20 years, yielding approximately 7,000 kg/hectare. Grapes sourced from a combination of newer vineyard parcels and select alberello crus.
VINIFICATION: Grapes harvested in late August. Fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at 22–28°C using cultured yeast. Malolactic fermentation completed in stainless steel. Filtered prior to aging.
AGING: 6 months in 225-liter French oak barriques, followed by 3 months of bottle aging. 60,000 bottles produced annually.
TASTING NOTES: Deep ruby red with a purplish rim. Aromas of ripe red plum, mulberry, cherry, and pink pepper with intriguing hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and sandalwood. Full and smooth on the palate with lively acidity that keeps the wine fresh and structured through a long finish.
FOOD PAIRINGS: Orecchiette with sausage, grilled meats, penne all'arrabbiata, spiced lamb, and aged cheeses.
Masseria Li Veli 'Orion' Primitivo, Salento, Puglia, Italy 2024
Regular price $25.00
Masseria Li Veli occupies an ancient Messapian site on the Salento Peninsula in southern Puglia, midway between the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. The property was originally developed in the late 19th century by the Marquis Antonio de Viti de Marco as a model winery for the whole of southern Italy, then fell dormant for decades before the Falvo family — former owners of Avignonesi in Montepulciano — acquired and restored it in 1999. Brothers Edoardo and Alfredo Falvo brought four decades of Tuscan winemaking expertise to the project with a clear mandate: to elevate Puglia's indigenous varieties beyond their historic bulk-wine identity. Today the estate farms 35 hectares of traditional alberello and espalier-trained vines, focusing exclusively on native Apulian varieties. Consultant winemaker Riccardo Cotarella oversees production. 'Orion' takes its name from the Greek word for "boundary," referencing the ancient fortified road — the Limite dei Greci — that once divided Lombard territory to the north from the Byzantine realm to the south, and which still borders Li Veli's Primitivo vineyard today.
WINEMAKER: Riccardo Cotarella
FARMING: Integrated agriculture (conventional); certified organic practices in place for other estate vineyards since 2005
VARIETY: 100% Primitivo
TERROIR: Salento IGT, commune of Cellino San Marco, province of Brindisi, Puglia. Vineyards at approximately 70 meters elevation on clay and sandy soils with calcareous traces. Maritime Mediterranean climate moderated by both the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Vines trained to spurred cordon and traditional alberello (bush vine), age 10–20 years, yielding approximately 7,000 kg/hectare. Grapes sourced from a combination of newer vineyard parcels and select alberello crus.
VINIFICATION: Grapes harvested in late August. Fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at 22–28°C using cultured yeast. Malolactic fermentation completed in stainless steel. Filtered prior to aging.
AGING: 6 months in 225-liter French oak barriques, followed by 3 months of bottle aging. 60,000 bottles produced annually.
TASTING NOTES: Deep ruby red with a purplish rim. Aromas of ripe red plum, mulberry, cherry, and pink pepper with intriguing hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and sandalwood. Full and smooth on the palate with lively acidity that keeps the wine fresh and structured through a long finish.
FOOD PAIRINGS: Orecchiette with sausage, grilled meats, penne all'arrabbiata, spiced lamb, and aged cheeses.