2007 Leone de Castris Salice Salentino Riserva

It wasn't long ago that much of the wine coming out of Salice Salentino was pretty dreary stuff. The workhorse grape of Apulia, and that which makes up the vast majority of Salice Salentino, is Negroamaro, or "black bitter", bitter having a more savory meaning in this case, not "bitter" as we think of it. The wines back then tended to be stewed, pruney, hugely alcoholic and lacking virtually any acidity and finesse. Well, the Italian wine revolution has been very kind to this region as wine after wine I taste from here is really rockin my world. I had the whole line up of the Leone De Castris wines at a trade tasting earlier this year and was floored by the quality in general and completely floored by the price to quality ratio of this one in particular. Big, chewy wine, with lots of rich black fruit, spice, licorice, touch of earth all on a frame of sturdy but pleasant tannins and nice bounce on the palate. Just an insanely delicious everyday drinking wine at an absolute steal of a price. CM

Power, complexity, drinkability and price performance you can't ask for anything more from this wine. I was bowled over when I first tasted this Salice Salentino its warm and inviting feel, lush yet balanced palate presence and the depth of flavors that one rarely finds at this price point. Drink now over the next 4-5 years, by a case it will be gone before you know it.

Saturated ruby in the glass. Dark, brooding fruit redolent of plums, violets, minerals & spice. Surprisingly light on it's feet for how dark it is & how rich the nose was. Leather
& dark fruits with a smooth, supple finish.

Dark garnet color with aromatic dark fruit, smoke, and licorice aromas. On the palate full-bodied , powerful, yet refined, and well structured with vivid fruit, fine-grained tannins, and good acidity with blackberry, black currant, spice and a hint of earth flavors. Long finish. www.enofylz.com