Fruit for this wine comes from the Contrada Pedale located in a rare spot of altitude (at about 450 meters above sea level) in the otherwise very flat region of Puglia. The Torrevento 2015 Castel del Monte Riserva Vigna Pedale is a pure expression of Nero di Troia with characteristic aromas of wild berry, rose potpourri, licorice and rosemary essence. There is nice menthol freshness on the close. Try it with a saltimbocca. Some 250,000 bottles were made.

The 2012 Castel del Monte Riserva Vigna Pedale is made in stainless steel and is subsequently aged in large oak casks for 12 months. This is a mid-level red wine with a relatively non-interventionist's winemaking approach in which the primary fruit remains intact. You get tones of black berry and dried blackberry. Spicy tertiary aromas are also on display with licorice, campfire ash and caramel cola. The wine reveals medium length and overall intensity.