The vintages continue to roll on, and fortunately, they do not resemble one another. While 2023 was particularly challenging due to climatic and phytosanitary issues, 2024 proved to be extremely hot, necessitating an early harvest by at least a week—although we believe that given the climatic trends of this century, one must adapt to this situation. The drought resulted in a significant reduction in yields, but those with vineyards in the "right" positions, old vines, and those who worked well in the vineyard achieved results ranging from satisfactory to excellent in terms of quality.
The Puglian vineyard and market challenges
The real question emerging is related to the vision that the entire sector wants to present regarding the Puglian vineyard and which market it aims to target. The grape market is in serious difficulty, with prices now below survival levels, and we believe that salvation lies in a production focused on quality and an increase in bottled products rather than large quantities and the sale of grapes and bulk wine.
The enhancement of vocated territories, increasingly evident in the number of wines awarded in our Vini d'Italia 2025 guide compared to a few years ago, seems to be the only viable path to maintain the prestige and value of the Puglian vineyard. Additionally, other solutions need to be found, ranging from developing sales at the winery to agritourism, while not forgetting the commitment to grow in increasingly important foreign markets.
Tre Bicchieri 2025 from Puglia: confirmations and newcomers
Regarding the Vini d'Italia 2025 guide by Gambero Rosso, wines based on Primitivo remain in the spotlight, with 16 Tre Bicchieri out of 26, alongside the classic Negroamaro wines, and for the first time, two Malvasia Nera and one Castel del Monte Bombino Nero.
Another first involves two companies entering our "club" of Tre Bicchieri: Masseria Borgo dei Trulli, with the Primitivo di Manduria Mirea, and Masseria Cuturi with the Zacinto, a pure Negroamaro.
Despite the minimal impact of our observations from previous years, we cannot refrain from pointing out that once again this year, an unreasonable number of "ultra-heavy" bottles have appeared on our tasting tables, making any discussion about sustainability and environmental awareness at least ambiguous.
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