The Cantele estate is a third-generation family-owned and run winery founded by the current generation's grandparents, immigrants from the north who settled in Puglia after WWII.
Cantele is known for its passion for native grapes and decided it was time to create a Verdeca that would be a benchmark for the variety. The resulting wine is yellow-straw in color with hints of green, fresh and bright in the glass with mouthwatering acidity and citrus and stone fruit flavors. A wonderful note of minerality is the perfect counterpoint to the wine’s vibrant fruit, making it all the more versatile and compelling at the table.
Wine Production
During vinification, the grapes are destemmed, not pressed, and cooled to 8°C. They remain at this temperature for a few hours to increase the extraction of primary aromas. The soft-pressed must is racked at the same temperature in order to allow for natural fining. Alcohol fermentation is then carried out in stainless-steel vats at 14°C.
Tasting Notes
Cantele Verdeca is intense straw yellow in color with hints of green. Persistent and intense on the nose. Fruity with clean notes of quince, elderberry, and pear tree aromas. Classic balsamic finish with notes of rosemary and sage. The palate is clean and fresh with a light aromatic note. Seductive, persistent finish with aromatic complexity.
Food Pairing
In recent years, many Pugliese chefs have started to incorporate elements of Japanese cuisine into their cooking and sushi is more popular than ever in Lecce, a city already celebrated for its restaurant scene. Cantele Verdeca couldn’t be a better pairing for these flavors from the east.