The Susumaniello wine grape would have disappeared if a family of Apulian winemakers didn't intervene. Now, it's destined to become just as famous as Negroamaro or Primitivo.
Susumaniello is widespread in the Brindisi area, finding its best expression in the sandy soil, constant ventilation, and brackish air of the area overlooking the sea of Salento. Its characteristics are those of wines that are suitable for aging.
Luigi Rubino himself, the owner of Tenute Rubino, a family business, tells the story of the "bailout," which in his own territory, was the leader in the vine's recovery. "When they started making wine at the beginning of the new millennium, there were a dozen hectares throughout the province. Today we are at 400."
The “donkey” of the vines
The name susumaniello is, in dialect, a derivative of the term somarello (donkey). This red grape's exceptional productivity gave it a tendency to load up with clusters in the same way that donkeys tend to stay in small groups, a characteristic that rendered the varietal unappreciated by those who wanted to make quality wines. Eventually, quantity-driven winemakers abandoned it after several years when the yield began to decrease.
The Rubino family having discovered this vine in the locality of Tenuta Jaddico, a land overlooking the Adriatic Sea, and were about to completely eliminate it when, out of curiosity, they decided to try to make a wine with it first. They discovered that susumaniello is at its best when the yield is lowered, giving life to the bluish-black grapes rich in all those substances at the base of wines with great potential.
The first bottles are now twenty years old
Susumaniello is suitable for the long-aged reds as well as rosé wines and even some sparklers. The first vintage of Torre Testa, Tenute Rubino's 100% Susumaniello DOC red, dates back to 2001. Today the historical series of its best vintages appear in expert vertical tastings. The techniques have been refined over time, such as the extraction of tannins, decreasing the temperature during processing, and contact with wood.
The combinations
Once aged, Susumaniello wine becomes complex with marked tannins, which goes well with first and second courses of great structure: meat sauces, game, and other types of meat cooked on the grill. Still talking about pure susumaniello, for more delicate dishes and above all to match seafood dishes, the solution is to opt rather for rosé. For an Apulian-style appetizer, including frise (Apulian crispy round bread) with burrata and cheeses, it's best to uncork a bubbly.