I’m going to do some low-season travel around those areas in January with my family. It’s not a wine trip, and I’ll have my kids along, but if anyone had a winery or two that would be worth visiting in or near those areas, please let me know.
Or even if you happen to know of a good producer or two from just having tasted the wines, that would be a good lead as well.
I know these are not going to be the best of the best in Italian wine, but I still enjoy meeting winemakers, learning and seeing something new.
Recommendations might be best knowing exactly where you are staying e.g. staying in Praiano or Amalfi makes Marisa Cuomo at Furore a good choice, with local bus services able to get you there (though a car at that time of year won’t be the liability it can be in summer). The wines here are very good indeed, with no excuses needed.
Similarly if further down to coast near Salerno, someone like Montevetrano might appeal.
Besides these there are some ok producers that might still be very enjoyable to visit.
In Amalfi, Andrea Pansa pasticceria. It will make you popular.
Plenty of really good wineries in Puglia, and don’t be afraid to just try what’s there. There can be some special bargains, but mixed in with the odd head-shaking faulty wine. Overall I’d say it’s a good hunting ground. Some examples include Rivera up to the north, Candido further south and plenty of others.
Sal de Riso in Minori was by far the best pastry and dessert shop I found in the Amalfi Coast. Incredible apple sorbet, fruit tarts, and everything in between. Lots of desserts to buy to bring back home as well.
Minori a rather nice place, which on my first visit I carelessly bracketed with the more beach resort-like Maiori. That was grossly unfair, and it’s both compact and charming.
Although it’s not a great time of year to do so, and please please be careful if it’s damp, but the walking around this area is exceptional. Endless steps will test the calf muscles, and it damp can be lethal (even in the dry they can be dangerous as my partner found out). Get a sunny day though, and get yourself out to enjoy the fresh air, stunning views and solid exercise punctuated by photo-stops. The Julian Tippett Sunflower series ‘pocket’ guide remains incredibly useful despite being decades old.
Foe Puglia, I’ll put in a word for Martina Franca and Locorotondo, though each town has its own charms in this area. I’d recommend basing in a town, rather than outside, as the cold dark evenings will be more conducive to a brisk stroll after a hearty meal and grappa to close, than thinking about taking it easy for the car journey home. Also do make the absolute most of the mornings to explore, because by the time the lunchtime closure finishes c. 3.30-4pm it will be dark and you’ll be facing the drive back. Further south, many speak highly of Lecce, and basing here might be a really practical option which also allows you to hit out to the significant wine area to the north and north-west.
In terms of driving in Puglia, it’s remarkably pleasant and easy, but punctuated by fiddly, sometimes narrow and confusing towns not designed for cars. Pay total attention passing through the towns and relax the rest of the time.
If flying into / out of Bari, do consider Trani, if only (as we did) as a place to visit on the final day to ensure we were confident to get to the airport on time. It’s a strongly Venetian influenced town with well-preserved Castle and plenty of charm.
Martina Franca is a lovely, baroque town famous for its passagiato – the after dinner walk. It lived up to its reputation. The streets were jammed after 9:30 or so. I don’t know if that would be true in January. I was there in late March. I never made it to Lecce, but it’s supposed to be baroque on a much grander scale.
You might consider detouring to the DOCG Aglianico del Vulture, which is in Basilicata just over the line from Puglia. I’m not sure who the good producers are these days but, at its best, it can be quite a good wine. D’Angelo was the benchmark 20+ years ago, but I had some disappointments with them – wines that faded out at a young age. I visited Cantina Del Notaio, not realizing that they were into oak. But three bottles I had of theirs from the 1999 and 2000 vintages developed very nicely over 10 to 15 years.
Be aware that many winemakers take vacation in January. Fermentations are finished and the vines are dormant, so it’s one of the few times that they can leave the winery largely unattended.
Chris,
if two hours of driving is ok for you, then I think that the most interesting wine region to explore is Irpinia, both for Taurasi and Fiano di Avellino. I have no experience of visits there, but if you want a list of good producers let me know. I guess that Mastroberardino is the most famous and that you could start from there.
In Puglia I haven’t visited either but I know one producer whom I feel confident to recommend: Morella (http://www.morellavini.com). The winemaker is Australian so English is spoken for sure.
I was in Puglia a few weeks ago, and while I didn’t visit wineries I’d second Pietraventosa (based on the quality of their wines). It’ss pretty close to Matera - a charming small town worth wandering around for an afternoon.
If you’re looking for places to stay, I can highly recommend Masseria Cimino. It’s a little out of the way and on the quieter side, but a beautiful location, and excellent breakfasts and dinners reflecting local fare are included in the tariff. A great list of Puglian and Basilicata wines, too.