Profile

The winery was established at the beginning of the sixties, by a small and tight-knit group of courageous wine growers. They started transforming their grapes, aiming at a market that was beginning to appreciate and seek full-bodied and robust wines with great character. At the time, there were only a few associate wine growers. Now there are over 700, and with consummate skill they continue the know-how, “bound in tradition”, to produce the Primitivo di Manduria Wine from the Taranto and Brindisi provinces. These come partially from coastal areas, and partly from the traditional bush trained vines, exposed to the sun’s heat and the beneficial properties of the Ionian Sea. Arriving from the Lecce road, we are welcomed by an enormous sign that is placed at the entranceway to an ancient Messapian settlement. It is a land that has always been dedicated to the production of Primitivo grapes. Written records of ancient wine-growing traditions in the region are to be found in the archaeological park of the Messapian walls, as they are, only one kilometre away, within the Cantolio winery; a must for an enjoyable wine tasting experience. Just inside, we are welcomed by a smart and inviting wine shop, equipped with handy dispensers for serving the wines. Since 2008, the entire CANTOLIO production has been processed using power from renewable sources (Photovoltaic). Cantolio even produces an excellent extra virgin olive oil, the result of a process that faithfully follows the ancient traditions: hand harvested and cold pressed. Tradition is sustained by using modern methods of working that guarantee the absolute and genuine qualities of the final product.