SUSUMANIELLO

Susumaniello is among the most endangered indigenous varieties of Salento — a grape whose cultivation had declined to near-extinction before the recent wave of interest in indigenous variety preservation brought it back to the attention of producers and consumers alike. The L'Astore estate's cultivation of Susumaniello is part of its broader commitment to the Salento viticultural heritage, expressed through an ampelographic collection of varieties now extinct elsewhere and through new experimental plantings that have restored some of these varieties to productive cultivation.

Michele and Pierluigi Travaglini's total dedication to their territory and their desire to build a future in the lands that saw them grow is nowhere more evident than in their decision to cultivate Susumaniello seriously at a time when the commercial case for doing so is far from obvious. The result is one of the most genuinely interesting wines in the UniqueWines portfolio — a wine that could not be produced anywhere else, from a variety that would not exist in commercial form without the commitment of estates like L'Astore.

The wine presents as intense ruby red with violet reflections — the colour of a young, concentrated red of genuine depth. On the nose, hints of red fruits appear, especially pomegranate, black cherry, plum, and blackberry, accompanied by balsamic notes on a spicy background of vanilla, cloves, and green pepper, with a bouquet of dried flowers. This aromatic profile is specific to the variety: Susumaniello has a particular combination of fruit intensity and aromatic complexity that distinguishes it from its better-known Puglian counterparts.

On the palate, the wine is full, complex, and elegant — qualities that are more remarkable in the context of a variety so recently restored to serious production, and that speak well of the L'Astore estate's understanding of how to handle it. Fresh and pleasantly tannic, well balanced and persistent, with a long finish that confirms the quality of what this ancient Salento variety can achieve.

Available through UniqueWines in carefully managed allocation.