One of my favorite Puglia reds, Nero is a wine I regularly seek out when I travel to the heel of the Italian boot. The Conti Zecca 2014 Nero is a sturdy blend of 70% Negroamaro and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon that would stand up to any seasoned pork or roasted leg of lamb. Maceration times are relatively brief, but the fruit definitely does not lack concentration or flavor, considering this warm-climate environment. Blackberries, cherry liqueur and cassis provide the aptly named Nero a very pronounced black-fruit personality. Some 20,000 bottles were made in this vintage.

The 2012 Nero is a blend of two of the darkest grapes to be found in Puglia: Negroamaro and Cabernet Sauvignon (aged in barrique for 18 months and in large casks for an additional year). This is a delicious and impressive wine that boasts super rich and dark concentration backed by soft tannins and supple extraction. The wine is opulent and generous with enduring tones of sweet spice and blackberry fruit. Nero is an absolute pleasure to drink.

The 2010 Nero is a gorgeous blend of 70% Negroamaro and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in French oak for 18 months followed by an additional 12 months in large oak casks. Among the various red wines produced in Puglia, Nero is among the most sophisticated on a consistent basis each year. I am particularly pleased to see how the Neroamaro grape shows in this vintage. The wine is toned and dark with a sense of austerity and focus that comes as a surprise. Negroamaro's sweet fleshiness pairs nicely next to the tannic firmness of Cabernet Sauvignon. In all, this wine shows a great sense of balance and proportion. It won't hold that long, but should award another five years of optimal drinking.