It all began in 2012 with a small orchard of Minutolo, a white grape variety that is particularly present in the Itria Valley, an area including Cisternino, Martina Franca, Locorotondo and Ostuni, right in the middle. For decades it was confused with the better-known Fiano, but since 2011 it has been definitively registered in the National Catalog of Grape Varieties with its own name, enjoying its precise identity. Nevertheless, it was soon abandoned since it was not very productive. Today, fortunately, it is on the upswing again, also thanks to its exceptional peculiarities. As a semi-aromatic grape variety, it gives the wines not only a fruity and floral bouquet, but also a wonderful acidity that makes it perfect for hot summer days. Our first bottle from this grape variety dates to 2016 and is still in high demand among our most loyal customers.
In 2014, an Ottavianello vineyard was planted in the former horses’ paddock, according to the field percentage distribution as per regulations in force: 85% Ottavianello, 10% Susumaniello, 5% Notardomenico. Susumaniello remains the most known of these three grape varieties, thanks to some producers who have brought this grape variety back into the limelight. On the other hand, Ottavianello arrived in Apulia in the late 1800s thanks to the Marquis of Bugnano. He lived in Ottaviano, on the slopes of Vesuvius, and had a dwelling also in San Vito dei Normanni, 15 km far from Ostuni. After a trip to Provence, he decided to bring to Italy the offshoots of the local Cinsault variety, a vine from which the most important Provençal rosé wines are still produced. He tried to plant it in Ottaviano, but with little success. The wine took only the name from this town, while finding its preferred terroir in the province of Brindisi, where it quickly spread throughout the entire territory of San Vito dei Normanni, Carovigno, Ostuni, San Michele Salentino, part of Ceglie Messapica, Latiano, also reaching the area of Brindisi.
And finally, the Bianco Ostuni DOC vineyard, for which we have chosen to cultivate 75% Impigno and 25% Francavidda. These are practically unknown grape varieties that we are also gradually discovering, deciding to put new “experiments” into practice. Impigno seems to have a distant relationship with the white Bombino, very common in the province of Foggia, especially in the sparkling wine region of San Severo. It is a very mineral grape variety with good acidity. Francavidda is a semi-aromatic grape variety with aromas of tropical fruit and a very strong mineral note that often turns into hydrocarbon. Together they produce a wine with an international flair, evidently different from the usual Apulian white wines.
Four new plantings have just been added to these vineyards, two in 2022 and two more in 2023 with even rarer grape varieties.
Our vineyards, small chests of rare treasures, are surrounded by a pre-existing biodiversity composed of millenary olive groves, fig trees, almond trees, and Mediterranean scrub, which we try to preserve and valorize, while practicing green manure in the rows. The Ottavianello vineyard has also been planted in alternating rows with broad beans to increase the mineral components of the soil. Here, on a small slope, we have a lime-based soil covered by a clayey layer rich in minerals such as iron, ideal for growing red grapes.
Ostuni has the privilege of being awarded with two designations of origin that certify its wines: Ottavianello Ostuni DOC and Bianco Ostuni DOC. Both varieties were introduced in 1972 by the agronomist De Laurentiis, who had the foresight to recognize the potential of these rare grapes. At that time, the area was entirely planted with Ottavianello and Impigno, but unfortunately in the early 1980s something happened that shaped local viticulture for decades: the government began to allocate funds for the cultivation of olive groves, which resulted in many farmers uprooting or abandoning their vineyards. The two designations therefore remained worthless, in absence of the respective wines, until one winemaker managed to bottle them again and save the DOC titles. From that moment on, viticulture slowly recovered, and our project aims to save and enhance these now unattainable vines by adhering to the specifications, which stipulate a minimum of 85% Ottavianello for the red wine and a minimum of 50% Impigno for the white wine, as well as the exclusive use of steel for both wines.
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This is the most impressive and original accommodation in Villa Agreste: restored six years after the start of tourist activity, it consists of a double bedroom with a bathroom completely carved into the rock, a living area with a sofa bed and an equipped kitchen with a fireplace. Outside there is a patio with a magnificent view over the rows of vines. It is ideal for guests looking for direct contact with nature and relaxing solitude.
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