Menhir Salento
When contemporary style seamlessly blends with ancient tradition, and one man’s dream is nourished with an extraordinary passion and a modern vision, the wine of Cantine Menhir Salento comes to life. Gaetano Marangelli, along with his brother, Vito Angelo, natives of Puglia, have seen this dream come to fruition in an unusually short time. In 2000, he began making wines through artisan processes that respect the time-honored traditions of local winemaking, while experimenting with unfamiliar varietals and exploring new ways to emphasize the uniqueness of Puglia’s grapes, fertile soil, and vineyards. The result is harmonious, balanced, yet uniquely powerful wine. The wines have received numerous national and international awards and are distributed in thirty countries around the world.
Cantine Menhir Salento currently has 10 hectares of vineyard in the fertile coastal region of Laghi Alimini. One part of the vineyard is home to ancient primitivo vines more than 80 years old, while the other is comprised of new vines including minutolo, aleatico, malvasia nera, susumaniello, and negro amaro.
The winery is situated in the heart of the historical center of Minervino di Lecce in Puglia, Italy’s “heel of the boot”. It is located about 10km from the historical town of Otranto and the breathtakingly beautiful coast of the Adriatic, and is surrounded by olive groves, ancient olive oil presses, awe-inspiring medieval fortresses, and parks of megalithic Menhir and Dolmen structures. The medieval village of Minervino di Lecce looks and feels much as it has for centuries. Graced with stone-carved architecture, picturesque courtyards, open markets, and narrow streets, this charming villages continues to honor and celebrate its customs and cultural treasures such as, the folk-style pizzica dances, patron saint holidays, ancient religious rituals, and seasonal ceremonies.
A baronial palace from the XVIII century is home to the winery, the winery’s head offices on the second floor, as well as, Origano – Osteria & Store. Origano serves traditional Pugliese cuisine using only the highest quality, local, farm to market products. The boutique-style store offers local culinary delights, such as artisan pastas, oils, jams, cheeses, and cured meats. The Cantine Menhir structure is encompassed by a lush garden that hosts magical spring and summer evenings with live music and outdoor dining. The winery and osteria have become a social centerpiece to Minervino, which has hosted traditional local ceremonies, modern art exhibits, literary presentations, intimate jazz gigs to large scale world music and rhythm concerts, bringing in thousands of visitors yearly from around the world.
Although the food is exceptional, the primary focus remains the integrity of the wine. Cantine Menhir Salento has come this far due to its dedication to authenticity and commitment to superior quality.
Cantine Menhir’s philosophy is that amazing wine should be affordable to everyone, a universal language engaging friends in conversation and uniting people across continents and cultures.
Production
Site
When contemporary style seamlessly blends with ancient tradition, and one man’s dream is nourished with an extraordinary passion and a modern vision, the wine of Cantine Menhir Salento comes to life. Gaetano Marangelli, along with his brother, Vito Angelo, natives of Puglia, have seen this dream come to fruition in an unusually short time. In 2000, he began making wines through artisan processes that respect the time-honored traditions of local winemaking, while experimenting with unfamiliar varietals and exploring new ways to emphasize the uniqueness of Puglia’s grapes, fertile soil, and vineyards. The result is harmonious, balanced, yet uniquely powerful wine. The wines have received numerous national and international awards and are distributed in thirty countries around the world.
Cantine Menhir Salento currently has 10 hectares of vineyard in the fertile coastal region of Laghi Alimini. One part of the vineyard is home to ancient primitivo vines more than 80 years old, while the other is comprised of new vines including minutolo, aleatico, malvasia nera, susumaniello, and negro amaro.
The winery is situated in the heart of the historical center of Minervino di Lecce in Puglia, Italy’s “heel of the boot”. It is located about 10km from the historical town of Otranto and the breathtakingly beautiful coast of the Adriatic, and is surrounded by olive groves, ancient olive oil presses, awe-inspiring medieval fortresses, and parks of megalithic Menhir and Dolmen structures. The medieval village of Minervino di Lecce looks and feels much as it has for centuries. Graced with stone-carved architecture, picturesque courtyards, open markets, and narrow streets, this charming villages continues to honor and celebrate its customs and cultural treasures such as, the folk-style pizzica dances, patron saint holidays, ancient religious rituals, and seasonal ceremonies.
A baronial palace from the XVIII century is home to the winery, the winery’s head offices on the second floor, as well as, Origano – Osteria & Store. Origano serves traditional Pugliese cuisine using only the highest quality, local, farm to market products. The boutique-style store offers local culinary delights, such as artisan pastas, oils, jams, cheeses, and cured meats. The Cantine Menhir structure is encompassed by a lush garden that hosts magical spring and summer evenings with live music and outdoor dining. The winery and osteria have become a social centerpiece to Minervino, which has hosted traditional local ceremonies, modern art exhibits, literary presentations, intimate jazz gigs to large scale world music and rhythm concerts, bringing in thousands of visitors yearly from around the world.
Although the food is exceptional, the primary focus remains the integrity of the wine. Cantine Menhir Salento has come this far due to its dedication to authenticity and commitment to superior quality.
Cantine Menhir’s philosophy is that amazing wine should be affordable to everyone, a universal language engaging friends in conversation and uniting people across continents and cultures.
