Apulia

The region of Apulia is characterized in part by plains and limestone plateaus. Vineyards are mainly located in the plains near the coast and inside the Tavoliere delle Puglie, the vast plain area in the southern part of the region. The quality of Apulian vines has vastly improved thanks to more modern enological methods. The native grapes of Apulia are: Negroamaro, Primitivo, Malvasia Nera and Bianca, Verdeca, Uva di Troia, Bombino, and Aleatico.

Wine Trail-From north to south
* Visit San Severo to see several wineries, including the Societá Cooperativa Agricola Torretta Zamarra at Via Croce Santa, 48 (tel. 011/39/0882/374295) and D'Arapri at Via Zannotti 30 (tel. 0882227643). Torretta Zamarra and Antica Cantina both offer wine tastings and direct sales in the town as well.
* Orta Nova is known as the "City of Wines" and is a great place for tastings. * In Cerignola, you can buy wine at Enoteca di Gianni dell'Olio (Via Puglia 6, tel. 0885426834), and in Mattinara buy bottles at Enoteca Bisceglia (Piazza Aldo Moro 5, tel. 0884551003).
* In Andria, visit Rivera (tel. 0883541310), a winery that produces Castel del Monte DOC wines.
* Locorotondo, a wine town, has wine tastings and direct sales at the cooperative winery and Cantine Calella.
* The Leverano winery, Conti Zecca, on Via Cesarea, (tel. 0832922606) is on 2000 acres between Lecce and Brindisi.

Festivals and Culinary Events
* March: Manduria-Pessima Fair-tasting of Primitivo wine and of local food products
* April: Lecce-Wine Fair-wholesale fair of grapes, wines and liquors
* May: Porto Cesareo-Fish Festival
* June: S. Giovanni Rotondo-Orecchiette Festival
* September: Lecce-Wine Fair and Grape Festival
* October: Bari-Grape Festival and exhibit of local food products; Barletta-Wine Fair
* November: Locorotando-Festival of New Wine, second Sunday of the month