Verso Rosso

The Luscious, Velvet-Smooth Soul of Southern Puglia

Plunge your senses into a rich, sun-drenched expression of southern Italy with Verso Rosso Salento IGT, a full-bodied red wine that punches far above its weight class. Produced by Casa Contini (Casa Vinicola Botter) in the warm, maritime landscape of the Salento peninsula—the heel of Italy's boot—this crowd-pleasing blend offers an affordable passport to the hedonistic, deeply concentrated style of winemaking typically reserved for luxury northern Italian bottles. It stands as an absolute masterclass in flavor intensity, engineered specifically for wine lovers who crave a smooth, velvety, and fruit-forward pour.

The secret to Verso Rosso’s voluptuous structure is a small percentage of appassimento grapes. While this labor-intensive process of partially air-drying harvested fruit on straw mats to raisinate and concentrate sugars is famous in Veneto for Amarone, Casa Contini brilliantly applies it to Puglia’s native varietals. The blend features a thoughtful combination of Negroamaro (60%), Primitivo (35%), and Malvasia Nera (5%) sourced from select vineyard plots. After fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to preserve the grapes' innate fruit vibrance, the wine is matured for six months in oak barrels, followed by stainless steel and bottle resting, polishing the rustic edges into a silky, luxurious texture.

Taste Profile & Pairings

• The Profile: Deep, dark garnet-red with intense purple hues in the glass. It commands a heavy, medium-to-full body, a luscious, mouth-filling viscosity, and remarkably soft, well-integrated tannins that keep it completely approachable from the moment the cork is pulled.

• Flavor Highlights: An inviting, decadent nose opens with sweet cherry cordial, anise cookies, and dried figs, layered with warm vanilla bean and dark chocolate. The entry is juicy and plush, flooding the palate with ripe blackberries, dark plums, black pepper, and a lingering hint of black licorice.

• The Finish: Smooth, long, and comforting, resolving with a delicate trailing whisper of sweet oak, dried dark fruits, and a gentle wave of warming baking spices.

• Perfect Food Pairings: This bold, velvety red blend requires rich, savory partners to match its concentrated fruit weight. Pair it magnificently with wood-fired pepperoni pizzas, slow-braised beef short ribs, hearty pasta dishes like wild boar ragù, fire-grilled steaks, or a rustic plate of aged hard cheeses like Manchego or Parmigiano-Reggiano.

• Serving Suggestion: To let its appassimento richness and intricate spice layers fully unfold without being overwhelmed by alcohol warmth, serve this southern Italian red at a slightly cool cellar temperature (60°F–65°F) after a quick 20-minute breathe time in a glass or decanter.

Product Specifications

• Size: 750ml Bottle

• Region: Salento IGT, Puglia, Southern Italy

• Wine Type: Dry Red Wine

• Grape Varieties: 60% Negroamaro, 35% Primitivo, 5% Malvasia Nera

• Winemaking Technique: Enriched with a portion of air-dried, appassimento grapes

• Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 14.0%

An affordable indulgence for bold red lovers. By marrying the intense Mediterranean sunshine of Puglia with northern-style appassimento fruit concentration, Verso Rosso Salento over-delivers an uncompromised standard of smoky, dark-berry sweetness and silky texturing—making it a perfect centerpiece for your next casual dinner party, a reliable weeknight favorite, or a stellar crowd-pleaser for backyard barbecues.