Cantine de Falco was created just over 50 years ago in Novoli, a town just northwest of Lecce in the heart of Salento. It is a family operation still run today by Gabriele and his father Salvatore de Falco. I don’t use the word passion very often, it is an overused word ruined by Greg Wallace, celebrity chefs and Apprentice contestants but you can’t help but get swept up in the passion and enthusiasm that the de Falco’s and their whole team exude at this wonderful winery. The de Falco’s have a deep understanding of their land and grape varieties. Everything is geared towards making quality wine and the production mixes traditional know-how with modern production techniques to ensure that the same quality can be achieved across all levels.

Most of the vineyards are located around the towns of Lecce, Taranto and Brindisi which all fall into the wider area known as Salento, the name given to the sun-drenched heal of Italy’s boot. Production is centred on the full-bodied, rich and powerful grape varieties of Negroamaro and Primitivo which are both capable of producing superb value entry levels wines but also more complex, age-worthy wines.

To find out more, go to their website.