Rosé, increasingly becoming a symbol of a Puglia in great transformation, may be experiencing its best moment because it has overcome the prejudices of those who imagined it was made by mixing white and red wine, those who thought it was a substitute for a red meant to be drunk cold during sweltering summer evenings, and those who followed the shades that the market was seeking at that moment. It has won by affirming its identity and showcasing its nuances, which will provide new perspectives on the versatility of grape varieties, becoming inextricably linked to the territory.
Talking to different producers gives a strong feeling that rosé represents (at least in Puglia) an unbreakable bond with the land and the farmers who cultivated it. The charm of this product comes from the fact that in the past it represented the wine drunk by farmers. The technique used is that of saignée, created to respond to the need for more concentrated musts. The part destined to be discarded underwent fermentation to produce a product suitable for consumption. A wine was obtained that generally remained on the tables of those who produced it. Thus, these wines met the right requirements to be consumed throughout Italy through the famous “Trani,” the taverns that, in Milan or northern Italy, took their name from the Apulian center of Trani, in the province of Bari (also mentioned by Gaber in one of his songs).
Then rosé gradually built its identity, affirmed it, and became a symbol thanks to the foresight of men capable of anticipating the times and seeing a... rosy future.
The rainbow of pink shades can be almost infinite, and having several glasses of rosé in front of you could result in a kaleidoscopic outcome that shifts from the delicacy of pastel notes to the incisiveness of a rosé tinged with coral hues, passing through a thousand and more shades.
The world of wine has always been evolving, never tamed and always ready to embrace new challenges. The greatest challenge that rosé is facing is closely related to its longevity: who said that rosé must only be a wine to be immediately consumed from the vintage? And so, in answering this question, some producers wanted to narrate a different taste, a new perspective through some of their products.
One of these is the company Michele Calò e figli in Tuglie, in the province of Lecce, with its Mjere rosé limited edition. The territory of Tuglie is a small patch of a few hectares with predominantly carbonaceous soil at the end of a spur of the Salento Murgia and a few kilometers from the Gallipoli coast, a town historically dedicated to the trade of grapes and wine, especially due to its proximity to the port of Gallipoli, which along with that of Brindisi has represented the main hubs of Apulian maritime trade.
Their motto is ‘Guardians of a business’, understood as territory, tradition, people, history, and culture. If you have the pleasure of meeting and listening to Giovanni as he tells you about his company, at some point you will hear him say these words, as he and his brother Fernando continue the work started in 1954 by their father Michele.
The reference grape variety is Negramaro, which in this area, over time, becomes more flavorful, enriched with iodized sensations.
Observing these characteristics in 2010, it was decided to start trying to give a new look to their rosé and this is how Cerasa was born, a rosé that spends 30% of its time in steamed toasted barrels. Cerasa was marketed for the first time in 2011.
But it is well known that destiny has a thousand paths: in the case of rosé, various events alternate, but the most particular one is told in an anecdote - dramatic at first - that over time has revealed itself to be a blessing. It so happened that in 2015, during important paving work, while the work was being carried out, in conjunction with a shift of equipment, a barrel destined to become rosé became inaccessible to normal winery processing. The solution to this unpleasant situation was found by doing batonnage, accessing from above, to see what would happen. The result was extraordinary, beyond the best expectations: a rosé with coppery hues, complex, rich, and briny. In short, a new guise.
From that moment on, it was decided to improve the process, using the grapes from the best vintages to produce this rosé, which today is presented on the market with the label “Mjere rosato edizione limitata 2020”. A gastronomic rosé that pairs very well with Salento cuisine, its birthplace.
