Vallone, Salento Rosso IGT (Puglia, Italy) 2016

 As the heel of Italy’s boot, Salento is surrounded on three sides by water.  With the Adriatic Sea on one side and the Ionian Sea on the other, one might expect this peninsula to be a refreshingly cool place — but one would be wrong.  Unless you are actually in the water yourself, it is HOT here, and if you are a grape you will love the weather.  Indeed deep, dark Graticciaia somehow tastes like the product of robust, happy fruit, marked by expansive, palate filling flavors and a long, pleasant finish.