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Boysenberry, rhubarb, eucalyptus and milk chocolate.

Puglia's Primitivo grape is related to California's Zinfandel through a distant cousin from Croatia. They may be cousins, but that is where the similarity ends. American Zins reflect the richer soils of California and tend to be more intensely concentrated with higher alcohol. In Puglia, the summer heat is tempered by the proximity to the sea and the soils are very different. Owners Rita and Piero are typical Southern Italians, full of energy, enthusiasm and positivity, and their wines are a reflection of their personalities.

Puglia was once one of the major shepherding regions of Italy, and the region boasts hundreds of miles of coastline where the catch is both plentiful and varied. Among the preferred vegetables are fava beans, lampasioni (a type of bulb) and eggplant. The Primitivo is well suited for lamb and particularly good with pasta dishes that incorporate eggplant and tomatoes. For something simple and quick, try my recipe for Spiedini. It's basically grilled Italian sausage on a baguette.

Puglia is in some ways culturally and geographically closer to Greece than to Italy, and in some small towns people speak a dialect that resembles ancient Greek. A couple of glasses of this and you too could be speaking Greek!