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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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88
NOVEMBER 2022
Masseria Li Veli “Passamante” Salice Salentino DOC 2021
![]() A creamy, medium-bodied red, with aromas of Mediterranean scrub and spiced orange peel wafting through dark, juicy sun-dried cherry fruit that's under scored by loamy earth and mocha. Fresh and lightly chewy on the finish. Drink now. 7,500 cases made, 3,500 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. 91
DECEMBER 2023
Masseria Li Veli “Askos” Susumaniello Salento IGT 2021
![]() Dark and juicy, with an aromatic overtone of fragrant herb, this shows flavors blackberry compote with hints of eucalyptus and anise hyssop, mocha and smoke sculpted by fine tannins that firm the focused finish. Drink now through 2029. 89
APRIL 2022
Masseria Li Veli “Torrerose” Negroamaro Rosato Salento IGT 2021
![]() A bouquet of pretty florals, sweet smoke and crushed apples waft up from the 2021 Rosato Negroamaro Torrerose. It’s softly textured with medium-bodied weight, nicely framed by bright acidity, as perfumed orchard fruits cascade across the palate. This leaves a mineral and green citrus note while finishing with medium length. 92
MAY 2021
Masseria Li Veli “Askos” Susumaniello Rosato Salento IGT 2020
![]() THE 25 BEST ROSÉ WINES OF 2021 RANKED #3 Deeply flavorful with excellent concentration, this well-rounded rosé wowed our panel. Essences of licorice, basil, and red fruit make this wine stand out among the pack. Soft and creamy with a subtle dollop of sweetness. The wine is round on the palate, yet it's crisp and refreshing. It smells like honeysuckle and orange blossoms, with an affordable price point, it’s a great bottle to bring to summer gatherings large and small. ![]() NOVEMBER 2022
Masseria Li Veli “Askos” Verdeca Salento IGT 2021
![]() 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. 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. |