Masseria Li Veli is in Cellino San Marco, in Puglia's Salento. In the late 19th century the economist Marquis Antonio de Viti de Marco turned the estate into a centre of excellence. Investors led by the Tuscan winery Avignonesi bought it in 1999 and re-established it. Brothers Edoardo and Alfredo Falvo have owned and run it since 2008, when they acquired it fully.
The buildings are made of carparo, a pale local limestone, and the cellar has traditional star-shaped vaults. The 58 hectares of vines sit on limestone and clay with sand and tuff, over a karstic base. They're planted as high-density bush vines, 5,120 per hectare, in a hexagonal pattern. The Limite dei Greci, a 7th-century border road, still runs alongside them.
Primitivo and Negroamaro are among the grapes here, along with Susumaniello, Aleatico, Verdeca and Malvasia Nera. The Askos project works on endangered Apulian varieties, researching them and bringing them into the wines.
Not tasted yet
I haven't reviewed a wine from Masseria Li Veli yet. They're on my Top 100 list, which is built from awards.