Albea Tasting

Alberobello, Puglia, Italy. Thursday 29-September-2022.

Albea are in Alberobello, relatively local to us. We had tasted their wines round at friends and, while on an Italian language course in Alberobello, Mary had spotted a sign for the Cantina and Museum. Our friends from Penrith were keen to do a wine tasting so we booked for the six of us plus our friends who lived locally and their visitors, ten in total.

Our hostess and guide was Valentina who did an excellent job conducting the tour in English. We started with an introduction to the company, the grapes that they buy in from their regular farmers and whereabouts in Puglia they are sourced.

Next she introduced us to their barrels, a mixture of American and French oak which they use for three years and then sell on to companies that use them for maturing whisky, etc.

We then had a quick tour of the museum upstairs with more background to the region and the grapes. There was a lot to take in and worthy of a longer, more leisurely visit. There is barrel from the year the cantina was founded. Unusually made from cherry wood staves and olive wood end pieces. Around the walls were ancient farming implements and other memorabilia apparently all donated by the residents of Alberobello.

An old style wine press being inspected by David.

Finally it was into the tasting room where we had the option of either three or five wines to taste. Needless to say we went for the flight of five wines.

Petrarosa (2021): Rose, Puglia Rosato IGP, Primitivo di Gioia, ABV 12.5%. The notes said strawberry on the nose but to me it was more like melon. Either way on the palate it was very light in flavour and too acidic for me.

Lei (2019): White, Vino bianco d’Italia, Uva di Troia 40%, Viognier 30%, Maresco 30%, ABV 13.5%. The Uva di Troia is fermented in US oak and then blended with the other two varieties which have been fermented separately. Rich gold colour and strong vanilla on the nose. Too oaky for Mary but the others liked it.

Petranera (2019): Red, Puglia Rosso IGP, Primitivo, ABV 13.5%. Matured for six months in French oak. On the nose there were notes of chocolate, cherry and coffee. Taste was excellent. The favourite of the assembled company.

Sol (2018): Red, Puglia Rosso IGP, Primitivo, ABV 15%. Matured for 15 months in American oak. More tannins than the Petranera. Interesting to compare the two 100% primitivo and the Petranera won.

Lui (2018): Red, Puglia Rosso IGP, Uva di Troia, ABV 14%. Malolactic fermentation, Matured for 10 months in American oak (1/3 new oak, 1/3 year old oak, 1/3 in two year old oak), intense colour. Good but not as good as the Petranera.

An excellent tour and tasting.