Light on its feet and lively, this juicy Primitive is an easy-drinking version, showing an appealing mix of black raspberry coulis, red licorice, tangerine, dried thyme and ground pepper. Drink now. 15,000 cases made, 5,000 cases imported.
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Puglia has a long agrarian history, thanks to its relatively high proportion of flat or rolling terrain suitable for growing crops. For many centuries, Puglia’s agriculture was dominated by extensive land grants from the ruling nobility. Known as latifundi, these holdings were the equivalent of plantations or haciendas in other countries, often controlled by absentee landowners and worked by local peasants and sharecroppers. Beginning in the 16th century in Puglia, many of these latifundi began to build structures known as masserie. The masseria was sort of a cross between a castle and a farmhouse and was designed to improve the life of the farmworkers. It was typically a large stone building located in or near the fields of the latifundo with room for the managers and many of the farmworkers to sleep and for storage of equipment and harvests. It was also intended to be strong enough to protect the inhabitants from raids by pirates, bandits, and marauding soldiers.
The latifundi began to be broken up during the period of Napoleonic rule in Italy at the end of the 1700s and early 1800s, and the essentially feudal system that they represented was outlawed in 1950. By that time, most of the masserias had fallen into disrepair. One such ruin was Masseria Li Veli, located near the center of the Salento Peninsula in southern Puglia, on the southern slopes of the Murgia plateau. Many masserias have been reconstructed as residences or agritourism accommodations beginning in the 1970s, but this particular one was rebuilt much earlier for a different purpose.
The crumbling Masseria Li Veli was acquired in the late 19th century by Marchese Antonio de Viti de Marco (1858–1943), an important economist and professor who was influential in the theory of public finance in the Kingdom of Italy. In 1895, the masseria was restored to serve as a model wine cellar, demonstrating an ambitious concept for economic development for all of southern Italy. It stayed in operation until the 1950s.
The masseria is once again functioning as an important winemaking facility, having been renovated and modernized into an up-to-date production center for the Li Veli wines. The Falvo family, former owners of the Avignonesi winery in Tuscany but with Puglian roots, purchased the masseria and its 128 acres of land in 1999 and breathed new life into de Viti de Marco’s project. The vision is to establish a new quality benchmark in the region, through both vineyard management and vinification.
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LOCATIONWINERY: Cellino San Marco (Brindisi province), Puglia VINEYARD: Salento peninsula, Puglia VIEW IN GOOGLE MAPS REGION DETAILS |
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87
NOVEMBER 2022
Masseria Li Veli “Orion” Primitivo Salento IGT 2021
![]() Light on its feet and lively, this juicy Primitive is an easy-drinking version, showing an appealing mix of black raspberry coulis, red licorice, tangerine, dried thyme and ground pepper. Drink now. 15,000 cases made, 5,000 cases imported. 91
NOVEMBER 2022
Masseria Li Veli “MLV” Salento IGT 2019
![]() This elegant red is medium- to full-bodied, with fine, satiny tannins and texture and a subtle overtone of Earl Grey tea. Featuring baked black plum, kirsch, min eral and mocha flavors, this shows good concentration in a harmonious frame,with a lingering, creamy finish. Primi tivo and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2027. 500 cases made, 150 cases imported. ![]() SEPTEMBER 2021
Masseria Li Veli “Askos” Verdeca Salento IGT 2020
![]() 91
JULY 2021
Masseria Li Veli “Pezzo Morgana” Salice Salentino Riserva DOC 2017
![]() Dusty rose, cloves, cinnamon, dried black cherries and hints of camphor emanate from the 2017 Salice Salentino Pezzo Morgana Riserva. It’s silky and pliant in feel, with cool-toned red and hints of blue fruit, further lifted by juicy acids and sour citrus tones, as fine tannins slowly saturate toward the close. The Pezzo Morgana finishes structured and long, tart currants and exotic spices tapering off under an air of violet florals. This is a single-vineyard varietal Negroamaro that’s refined for 12 months in barriques, which it handles quite well, coming across as nicely polished. 90
JUNE 2021
Masseria Li Veli “Askos” Susumaniello Rosato Salento IGT 2020
![]() The 2020 Rosato Susumaniello Askos slowly evolves in the glass, at first just dusty and floral, then developing a vivid display of melon and sweet spice over time. It’s soft, almost creamy in feel, soothing further with ripe citrus-tinged fruits, as a wave of juicy acidity lifts the experience nicely. This concluded perfumed and spicy to notes of ginger and kiwi. Very nice. 90
JULY 2021
Masseria Li Veli “Passamante” Salice Salentino DOC 2019
![]() The 2019 Salice Salentino Passamante blossoms slowly in the glass, leading off with musky dark berries and smoke, and gaining hints of cracked pepper, yellow curry and flowery undergrowth over time. This varietal Negroamaro is soft-textured, balancing bright acids with ripe black fruits and minerals to create a juicy yet pure impression. Notes of plum and lavender linger long as the 2019 tapers off lightly structured and dry. 91
JUNE 2023
Masseria Li Veli “Torrerose” Negroamaro Rosato Salento IGT 2022
![]() The southeastern Italian region of Puglia is often thought of as one of the most important territories for rosato in the country. Several grapes are used to produce the various styles; this one from Masseria Li Veli is produced entirely from Negroamaro. Medium-deep orange in color, this offers delightful perfumes of orange peel, currant and orange roses. There is very good acidity, which helps preserve acidity and freshness and the finish is round and quite delicious. Enjoy this over the next 2-3 years. 90
APRIL 2022
Masseria Li Veli “Askos” Susumaniello Rosato Salento IGT 2021
![]() The 2021 Rosato Susumaniello Askos is understated and dusty in character, yet with an exotic spiciness that keeps me coming back to the glass. It washes across that palate with glycerol-like textures, while delivering ripe green melon and sweet inner herbal tones. While a bit short, the Askos succeeds in leaving the senses completely refreshed and aching for another sip. |