The nose is ripe and openly fruity with hints of liquorice and raisins. The palate has a touch of spice, somewhat Syrah like, to balance the black fruit and ripe tannins - a wonderful balance of sweet ripeness and bitterness typical of Negro Amaro.

Founded in 1943, this family owned producer owns 600 hectares over three estates in the Salento peninsula. Vineyards cover 170 hectares, the rest are planted with a plethora of other agricultural crops, including some of the oldest olive groves in the country. Supported by viticulturalist Donato Lazzari, the Vallone sisters produce wines consistently rated amongst the best in Puglia. Agricole Vallone has two different winemaking facilities, each with the most advanced, up-to-date equipment. The Flaminio estate, near Brindisi, houses the cellar where all the wines are vinified, while the Copertino cellar, in the province of Lecce, carries out the process of maturation in oak, both large 'botti' and small French oak barrels.

Vereto Salice Salentino is made from a blend of rigorously selected Negroamaro grapes, with a touch of Malvasia Nera to add complexity and elegance. The grapes are hand harvested from their own vineyards on the 'Iore' estate in San Pancrazio Salentino, where deep chalk-clay soils predominate. Here the vines are on average 40 years' old and trained in the traditional bush system known as 'alberello' as well as 'spalliera'.

Grapes are crushed and steeped for approx. 70 hours; free run juice and soft pressing only. Selected yeasts are used for fermentation in stainless steel vats controlled at 25 - 30 degrees for 5 days. The wine is matured for 8 months in 50 hectolitre Slavonic oak casks and filtered using natural decantation/refridgeration methods before bottling.

This wine is perfectly poised between sweet and tart so it is not easily over powered by food. It is the perfect accompaniment to Italian dishes such as pasta with tomato. Also works with red meats, like hot roast beef and grain mustard, spicy hearty pork sausages or guinea fowl in a rich sauce. Good too with a casserole of beans or lentils.