Torrevento

Torrevento – Apulia's answer to origin, wind and history

Some wineries have a history, others a legend. Torrevento in Corato has both. The name means "Tower of the Wind" and refers to the most characteristic natural phenomenon of this landscape: the constant wind that sweeps across the high plateau of the Alta Murgia, naturally ventilating the vines. Not a marketing term, but a lived reality of the topography.

A family history spanning three continents

Torrevento's roots stretch back to 1913 , when Francesco Liantonio – grandfather of the current president and namesake of the family tradition – emigrated to New York at the age of 16 to support his family in Puglia. He amassed a fortune there and returned to Puglia in 1923. With his savings, he began processing grapes and producing olive oil. In 1948, he and his brothers acquired a 17th-century Baroque Benedictine monastery, complete with 57 hectares of surrounding vineyards. This move set the course for everything that followed.

Torrevento Srl was founded in its current form in 1989 , followed in 1992 by its first own line of Castel del Monte DOC wines. That same year, Torrevento became the first Apulian winery to present a single-varietal Nero di Troia – the Vigna Pedale Castel del Monte DOC , the world's first wine of this kind made from this grape variety. The name refers to the calcareous Pedale vineyard, a 50-hectare plot in a characteristic pedal shape.

Under the leadership of current president Francesco Liantonio, the company received a new impetus from the late 1980s onwards: a consistent focus on enhancing Apulian terroirs through indigenous grape varieties. The winemaker is Dr. Leonardo Palumbo, who brings his very personal oenological signature to the glass each year with his Baccarara (white) and Kebir (red) blends – wines that the company itself describes as "free, vintage-dependent, and shaped by the oenologist's inspiration."

Location and terroir: between national park, karst soils and the Adriatic Sea

Torrevento's headquarters lie in the heart of the Alta Murgia National Park , at the foot of the famous octagonal Castel del Monte, which was built by the Hohenstaufen King Frederick II in the Middle Ages. The vineyards grow on barren, stony karst soils, fed by underground streams and shaped by a typical Mediterranean climate. The altitudes between 400 and 600 meters create pronounced day-night temperature variations – a crucial factor for the aroma and freshness of the wines.

Torrevento is not a winery with a single focus: In addition to its core vineyards in northern Apulia (Castel del Monte and Murgia), the company also owns vineyards in the central part of the region (the Primitivo zone) and in southern Salento. In total, Torrevento now cultivates 500 hectares of vineyards throughout Apulia.

Philosophy: indigenous, sustainable, traceable

Torrevento sees itself as an advocate for Apulian wine culture. The focus is on indigenous grape varieties such as Nero di Troia, Primitivo, Negroamaro, Aglianico, Bombino Bianco, and Bombino Nero , complemented by other local varieties like Verdeca, Minutolo, Bianco d'Alessano, and Malvasia Nera. The vines are trained using the Alberello, Guyot, or Cordon Spur methods, depending on the location and variety.

Sustainability is not just a buzzword here, but proven by certifications: Torrevento holds Equalitas certification as well as certifications according to IFS Food and CSQA standards . The work begins in the soil: reducing tillage, increasing biodiversity, and exclusively using organic and organo-mineral fertilizers. And Torrevento was among the first wineries in Italy to introduce a blockchain-based traceability system – the history of every bottle can be traced from the vineyard to the winery via QR code.

Awards: Tre Bicchieri and Falstaff points

The winery's commitment to quality is well-documented. The Vigna Pedale (Nero di Troia) and the Bolonero (a blend of Aglianico and Nero di Troia) have repeatedly been awarded the coveted Tre Bicchieri by Gambero Rosso – arguably the most prestigious rating in the Italian wine industry.

• The Diciotto Colline Riserva Primitivo di Manduria scored 93 Falstaff points.
• The Ghenos Primitivo di Manduria DOC also received 93 Falstaff points.
• The as, if! Primitivo di Manduria was rated 91 points by Falstaff reviewer Ulrich Sautter.

Torrevento at Vinoscout

At Vinoscout you'll find 13 wines from Torrevento – from beginner-friendly everyday wines to mature Reserva bottlings. The best-selling bottles reflect the winery's strengths:

• as, if! Primitivo di Manduria DOC – the uncomplicated introduction to the Primitivo universe of Torrevento
• as, if! Appassimento Primitivo – Appassimento style from Apulia, dense and approachable
• Diciotto Colline Primitivo di Manduria Riserva DOC – the mature, more complex version, awarded 93 Falstaff points
• Ghenos Primitivo di Manduria DOC – also with 93 Falstaff points, another highlight from Manduria
• Passione Reale Appassimento Puglia and Infinitum Primitivo Puglia IGT – approachable everyday wines with Apulian character

Prices range from 6.70 to 204.66 euros – making the range suitable for both a quick evening glass of wine and for special occasions.