Cantina Vecchia Torre, Via Marche 1, 73045 Leverano (LE), Italy
Cantina Vecchia Torre is a wine-growing cooperative located in Puglia, southern Italy. It is named after the oenologist Ennio Cagnazzo Vecchia Torre, who made a name for himself with the production of Primitivo Rosso and Rosato, Vermentino and Primitivo di Manduria.
The history of Vecchia Torre
The Vecchia Torre wine cooperative has existed since 1959. In that year, 50 winegrowers decided to join forces and join forces to exploit the potential of their vineyards. Today the cooperative has grown to 1240 members who call a total of 1100 hectares of vineyards their own. Vecchia Torre produces 2.5 million bottles of wine a year.
The wine cooperative focuses on ideal values. Where otherwise only material interests are pursued, at Vecchia Torre you can feel the sense of community, cohesion and the idea of democracy. This forms the basis for the success that has now lasted for decades. The individual winegrower is not squeezed out by financial interests, but is an important member of the community. In addition, the cooperative helps the individual members to continuously develop themselves. The aim of the Vecchia Torre wine cooperative is to jointly increase the quality of the wines produced.
Wines and focus of Vecchia Torre
The Vecchia Torre winegrowers' cooperative is still committed to the viticultural traditions of southern Apulia . The focus is on the cultivation of native varieties. A unique variety of vines has emerged from the long wine-growing tradition and the very hot and dry climate. The vines grow on the limestone and sandstone soils of Salento. These three autochthonous grape varieties grow here in particular:
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Primitivo
The sun-kissed wine is made from a red grape. The name refers to the early maturity of the Primitivo vine, which is mainly grown in southern Italy's Apulia.
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Negroamaro
This grape variety from southern Italy also comes from Apulia. The vine has its origins where the vine still grows today. The grape is characterized by a high tannin content, so that the red wines from this grape can be stored for a long time. Nevertheless, Negroamaro are considered very soft. The bouquet is reminiscent of currants and sour cherries.
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Malvasia Nera
Malvasia Nera is a generic term for a group of different dark Malvasia Varieties from Italy.
These grape varieties from the Vecchia Torre wine cooperative are complemented by white wine grape varieties such as Trebbiano, Chardonnay and Malvasia blanco.
Natural cultivation of the vineyards
The vineyards cultivated by the Vecchia Torre winegrowers' cooperative are characterized by sustainable and natural winegrowing. The daily work of the winter relies on reducing the yield. In addition, the vines should be protected from the direct sun by time-consuming and complex foliage work. Most of the grapes are harvested by hand by their producers. They still work according to the strict specifications of their cellar master Dr. Ennio Cagnazzo, according to which they are then selected again. Ennio Cagnazzo relies on the uncompromising quality of the raw materials from which the Vecchia Torre wines are later made. Above all, no overripe grapes may be processed, so as not to negatively influence the bouquet and taste. In Leverano there are ultra-modern cellars in which the grapes are gently aged.
With this approach and the strict cultivation and quality criteria, the Vecchia Torre winegrowers' cooperative is carrying Apulia's long wine-growing tradition into the future. Her most important concern is to use the autochthonous grape varieties even better and to fully exploit their potential.
