Vigna Pedale Riserva Torrevento 2016

The Vigna Pedale from the Torrevento winery is one of those red wines that certainly needs no introduction, a red wine that alone has managed to represent the extraordinary potentialities of Nero di Troia and the terroir of Castel del Monte, a rugged and wild area located in the heart of the northwestern Murgia, in a land that the Torrevento winery likes to describe this way: "where the history of men is confused with the colours of nature."

Here the climate is arid and dry, and the considerable presence of stone is muted by the soft contours of the hills and the all-aligned cultivations that are the most authentic fruit of man's passion, dedication and toil. We are in the elective land of Nero di Troia, an ancient and native vine that Torrevento has decided to bring back into vogue with its Vigna Pedale. A vine that is difficult to domesticate, a vine that is bizarre and angular, rough and impetuous. The Liantonio family, however, believed in it and, from a 6-hectare bush-trained vineyard, gave birth to the Vigna Pedale project; a fully successful project that has captured the attention of leading Italian and foreign wine guides.

A very long maceration and ageing of 8 months in steel and 12 months in large casks give Vigna Pedale structure and elegance, softness and balance. A pure Nero di Troia with great personality where the fruit dominates the scene in the first part of the tasting with notes of black cherry and blackberries to be then muted by spicy nuances of cardamom, black pepper and cloves. The tannins are there, and you can feel them, but Torrevento's skill was also in dampening them, in making them soft and fine, in making them perfect companions. Vigna Pedale and Torrevento are a truly winning combination.