Castel del Monte DOC/DOCG
Taste the Castel del Monte Selections
The Name: Castel del Monte
Castle on the hill.
The actual Castel del Monte is a exquisitely restored octagonal, Medieval castle from the 13th century. It was built during the Hohenstaufen (German) dynasty in southern Italy, under King Frederick II: the King of Sicily, King of Germany (and also, subsequently Burgundy), and Holy Roman Emperor. This epic, yet often glossed over, reign of Frederick II is the epitome of southern Italy’s diverse heritage. Frederick was born in present day Le Marche and crowned as King of Sicily at the age of three (his mother was Constance of Sicily). Educated in Palermo, he spoke six languages, and was an advocate of the science and the arts. In addition to his interest in the sciences, he was religiously tolerant of other groups, earning him excommunication from the papacy/church three times.
The octagonal shape still alludes historians- while it maintained influences from Greco-Roman architecture, the shape is unique and was not an established style, not then not now. It has remained an iconic representation of Puglia and Italy’s vast cultural history, and even a wine denomination as its namesake. Do not be surprised if you run into any blond haired, blue eyed folks in the region, living evidence of significant Germanic heritage in the area.
The Land
The Castel del Monte DOC is in Le Murge- the Murges- a distinct geographic formation from the late Paleozoic Age, characterized by Karst. Karst is a dolomitic limestone, highly erosive, and conducive to underground cave systems and cave dwellings (i.e. Matera). Because it is so erosive and porous, the land here does not retain water well, making water stress a constant threat to vines growing in the area.
The limestone in the Le Murge is unique. We often think of Puglia as flat and fertile, but here at 300+ meters above sea level, in combination with the poor and rocky karst terrain, Puglia achieves some great wines. In fact, the grape varieties change completely, with the focus on more white varieties in the Valle d'Itria (southern part of the Murge) and less robust reds.
The Grapes
While the denomination allows for other grapes, the dominant and native variety of the zone is Nero di Troia/ Uva di Troia. The grape is high in tannin, has moderate acid, and is late ripening (common for higher elevation varieties), making it the more refined, less alcoholic cousin of Negroamaro and Primitivo. There is Riserva DOCG category specifically for Nero di Troia.
Bombino Nero is a a red grape variety primarily used for rose’/rosato production. It is high in acid, with very little pigment. The Castel del Monte Bombino Nero DOCG is entirely dedicated to the rosato category- the only DOCG of it's kind! Rosato production in Puglia is, therefore, incredibly important, and some of the tastiest in Italy, providing a hedonistic fruitiness with the right balance of acid and savory notes. Goes down a little too easy.
