JANCIS ROBINSON'S WALTER SPELLER REVIEWS MASSERIA BORGO DEI TRULLI 28.12.22

Masseria Borgo dei Trulli, Ficheto 2021 IGP Puglia

Equal parts of Fiano, Sauvignon Blanc and Malvasia.
An unusual mix of grapes, especially Sauvignon so far south, but seems to have added freshness to the blend. Tropical fruit – mango and papaya, but not of the monotonous, cold-fermentation type. The Malvasia seems to have added a perfumed note not unlike Viognier. Orange and grapefruit too. Fresh, viscous citrus fruit with a lemony finish and a hint of what seems like oak. Super-easy to like and versatile.

Masseria Borgo dei Trulli, Liala Negroamaro 2020 IGT Salento

Full bottle 1,916 g! Old-vine Negroamaro and only produced in the best vintages.
Lush deep ruby. Savoury dark- and red-fruit nose with salty notes. A generous mouthful of rich fruit but with good acidity. Chocolatey hints on the finish. Very long but lacks some of the depth and complexity of old vines, but they do reveal themselves in how well the 16.5% (!) is tied into the wine and without any heat. Perhaps it will show its hidden depths with age?

Masseria Borgo dei Trulli, Duna Mirante 2020 Primitivo di Manduria

Full bottle 1,650 g. From a vineyard close to the protected sand dunes of Campomarino and a stone’s throw away from the Ionian Sea. No added SO2.
Impenetrable dark ruby with orange tinges. An exotic nose of tamarind paste, sour cherry and yellow raisins and with a black-pepper prickle. Port-like on the palate with sweetness coming from the elevated alcohol, which also envelopes the abundant tannins. Very long and without the alcoholic burn. Really idiosyncratic, but I can see this working as an after-dinner wine – one that no one will know what it is or where it comes from, guaranteed.

Masseria Borgo dei Trulli, Lucale Appassimento Primitivo 2021 IGT Puglia

Cardinal ruby. Sweet red fruit and a little confected with hints of candyfloss. Similar on the palate with creamy notes that remind me of panna cotta but the acidity on the finish lifts it up. A little bit like an Amarone. Residual sugar on the finish.