Puglia is often called the heel of Italy’s boot, but it’s the southern peninsula of Salento that completes the shape. This flat, slender peninsula-within-a-peninsula is flanked by the Adriatic Sea to the east and the Ionian Sea to the south. Warm and eternally sun-drenched yet tempered by cooling maritime breezes, this geographical heel cap boasts ideal conditions for winemaking. Long hang times allow slowly ripening grapes to glean complexity, while mineral-rich clay and limestone soils boost structure, and huge diurnal temperature swings help them retain freshness and acidity.

Historically, Salento proved a consistent workhorse for bulk production of fleshy reds with generous body and tannins; today, quality-minded winemakers laser-focus on crafting a regional identity. At the forefront stands Varvaglione, a fourth-generation, family-run winery founded in Pulsano in 1921 by Cosimo Varvaglione. He initially planted vines in Pulsano to make wine for his family, then eventually distributed it to the local navy base — no doubt to the delight of thirsty sailors.

Today, Varvaglione remains one of the oldest and most respected wineries in the region. It ranks as the biggest private operation, producing 5 million bottles every year; with 85 percent globally exported to 70 countries, one of its bottles is never far away.

Currently, Cosimo’s grandson Angelo oversees the organic winemaking operation, leaning on traditional techniques while leveraging modern technology. Drones outfitted with spectrophotometric cameras use refraction to identify vines’ deficient nutrients. He also maintains an experimental plot with 580 varieties vinified with dry farming and low intervention to determine which will remain most resistant to climate change.

© Varvaglione 1921 Winery

The winery holds tours and tastings in Masseria Pizzariello, a historic farmhouse dating back to the 1600s surrounded by olive groves, where guests can experience the family’s ethos of championing indigenous grapes. Its flagship, Papale Oro, is so named to honor the Apulian Pope Benedict XII, who hailed from the region and owned the land. It’s made from 100 percent hand-harvested Primitivo from the Manduria DOC, the highest-quality appellation for Puglia’s signature red variety (the genetic twin of Zinfandel), which in Salento leans plush and polished. Younger vintages show plum and sour cherry which evolves to licorice, tobacco leaf and a Marsala-like aroma as it matures. Papale Oro provides proof Primitivo can age … and age well.

Negroamaro presents expressive aromas of strawberry and black cherry, with smooth tannins and a more approachable style, while Susumaniello, an almost extinct grape making a comeback, is deep, intense and spicy, with a touch of balsamic. Varvaglione (like many Puglian producers) likes to serve red wine chilled, which can take some getting used to but lends a lightness and refreshing quality, especially in the warmer months.

But the whites are far from an afterthought. Falaghina is tinged with zesty lemon, bright acidity and a savory hint of minerality, while its sparkling counterpart affords an attractive bitter almond note. Fiano shows more stone fruit, pear and elderflower — yet still with a freshness that comes from being so close to the coast. And Primitivo makes a juicy, highly quaffable rosé.

In a few years, Varvaglione plans to open a 30-villa wine resort and spa housed in a 16th-century building on its property. In the meantime, visitors can enjoy lunch at the charming Masseria, which includes a tasting of its estate-grown wines (and fragrant olive oils) as well as regional specialties such as orecchiette and meatballs, rolled in Primitivo before being dunked in a pot of sauce. It’s a simple expression that shows how seamlessly wine fits into the Apulian lifestyle.