Summary
Cantina Vecchia Torre in Leverano is one of the largest and best-known wineries in Puglia. Founded in 1959 as a cooperative of 44 farmers, the estate today pools the grapes of more than 1,100 members who together farm around 1,500 hectares across the Salento. From these come roughly 2.5 million bottles a year – classic red, white and rosé wines made from the typical varieties of the deep south. At the heart of it all are Negroamaro, Primitivo and Malvasia Nera, which yield powerful, sun-ripened wines. The estate's name goes back to the medieval tower ("vecchia torre") in the village, making the cooperative a firm symbol of Leverano's identity.
History
The estate's story begins in 1959, when 44 farmers in Leverano joined forces to form the „Cantina Sociale Cooperativa di Leverano". The driving force was Antonio Biasi, who wanted to unite the area's small growers under one roof to vinify and market their grapes together. At a time when many families depended on winegrowing but could barely survive on their own in the market, the cooperative was a decisive step.
Over the decades that small association grew into one of the region's largest wineries. Today the cooperative counts more than 1,100 members who together farm around 1,500 hectares. The estate owes its name to the old tower in the village: the „vecchia torre" is still a landmark of Leverano – and the wine from the cellar a piece of local identity.
Location & Terroir
Vecchia Torre lies in Leverano in the province of Lecce, in the heart of the Salento – the narrow strip of land that forms the heel of the Italian boot. Between the Ionian and the Adriatic Sea, the climate is warm and Mediterranean, with plenty of sunshine, mild winters and a constant sea breeze that airs the vines and keeps the grapes healthy.
The typical red soils of the Salento are decisive – calcareous earth with a high iron content that lends the wines power and spice. The many members bring in grapes from very different plots around Leverano, including old vines trained in the traditional bush system (alberello). This diversity of sites and vine ages is the foundation for the cooperative's broad range.
Style & Philosophy
Vecchia Torre's style is deeply rooted in the Salento: powerful, sun-ripened wines that make the warmth of the south tangible in the glass. The red varieties Negroamaro and Primitivo produce dark, full-bodied wines with ripe fruit, soft tannins and Mediterranean spice. Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera also go into the rosés so popular in the Salento, which come out fresh and fruity.
As a cooperative, the estate aims to make the region's typical wines available in reliable quality and at fair prices. The focus is not on a single prestige site but on a clear expression of variety and origin – dry wines that are easy to enjoy yet still show the character of the Salento.
Notable Wines & Range
The range covers the whole breadth of the Salento – from simple, single-variety everyday wines to the protected wines of origin. Key building blocks are:
- Single-variety reds from Negroamaro and Primitivo, powerful and fruit-forward
- Rosé from Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera – a Salento classic
- White wines from Chardonnay and Vermentino, fresh and easy-going
- Salice Salentino DOC – the region's best-known origin, usually Negroamaro-based
- Leverano DOC – the home appellation around the estate's base
- Wines under the broader Salento IGT origin
In this way the cooperative offers a wide cross-section of the wines of southern Puglia.
Awards
As a large cooperative, Vecchia Torre puts reliable everyday quality first. Over the years individual wines from the estate have gained recognition at national tastings and in wine guides, and as a member of the Consorzio Salice Salentino the winery contributes to the reputation of the protected origin. Above all, though, Vecchia Torre is a fixture for authentic Salento wines – and an ambassador for the grape varieties and wine culture of Leverano.