A wonderful wine, seemingly very full bodied but impeccably balanced. It starts with aromas of fresh red cherry and then moves onto fig and blackberry. Generous and velvety tannins give serious structure to the palate which is fat and round, but also focussed. Sumptuous stuff, designed for cool weather drinking.

Puglia, in the deep south of Italy (the 'heel' of the boot') is home to a great variety of relatively lesser-known grape varieties that produce a satisfying range of incredible value and characterful wines. Overshadowed by many of their more famous wine regions, it is nonetheless a great place to discover comforting reds and the odd salty white that make for great drinking.

This wine comes from one of the more progressive growers and producers in the region, Rocca. Established by Francesco Rocca in the late 1800s, they originally started as a bulk wine business, buying and selling juice. Keen to improve things, son Angelo took over in 1936 and built up a cellar in the town of Nardo. The subsequent generations enlarged the business, bought vineyards, and in 1999 the family spread their wings and purchased a winery in Piedmont, in the north of Italy, to expand their range. All their wines are honest and characterful, and offer a great insight into the terroir of the region.