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SOUTHERN SPECIALITY
What is Susumaniello?
Caroline Marshall,Susumaniello is an ancient and wellregarded red blending grape native to Puglia. While still considered rare, it’s enjoying a surge in popularity due to renewed interest in obscure and indigenous Italian grape varieties. Concentrated in Salento, particularly in the Brindisi area, Susumaniello was historically made as a sweet wine, then as a blending wine, reaching its peak during the 1970s. The grape’s name is derived from the word for ‘donkey’, believed to be a reference to its high productivity, as in ‘loading up the donkey’. However, after 10-15 years, its vigour drops drastically, which led to a corresponding drop in its reputation, leading to its near demise.
