To those unfamiliar with Italian geography, Apulia’s location can easily be remembered as the “heel of the boot”. Very flat and fertile, Apulia has long been the grain belt of Italy and is the main producer of the three staples of the Italian diet—bread, olive oil, and wine. Puglia has long battled it out with Sicily for the title of Italy’s most prolific wine producing region. Just like in Sicily, only a small percentage of its wines are bottled and given a classification. Another similarity to its island competitor is the dramatically increased investment in the region’s winemaking by seasoned outsiders in hopes of it becoming one of the next hot spots for Italian wine.

Like other southern regions that typically experience extreme heat year after year, Apulia is best kn...