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Susumaniello is a red-wine grape originating in the Brindisi province in Puglia, Italy. Nowadays, it is produced throughout Puglia, though still mainly around Brindisi. Historically Susumaniello has mostly been used in blends, but recently it (like so many Italian varieties) is having attention paid to it, and so monovarietal bottlings are on the increase.
Classically, Susumaniello was rather tart and rough around the edges, but owing to its recent rise in status much cleaner and more elegant bottlings are now more the norm. Susumaniello vines have a curious habit: in early years, they tend to produce lots of rather boring, bland wines; but at about the ten-year point, their production drops sharply. Because of that, farmers were reluctant to grow the grape, hence its slide into obscurity. But what was recently realized is that when the vines drop off in productivity, they sharply increase in grape—and thus wine—quality. (It is common for reduced vine productivity to increase quality: it’s just that for a long time, no one thought about Susumaniello in that way.)
Susumaniello tends to be deeply ruby-colored, with lots of red-fruit and plum flavors. Its alcohol tends to be high, and it has good acidity that well balances the fruit. Better specimens are often on the rich and full-bodied side, with enough tannins that they can age for a few years (its aging potential is often described as “medium”). Nowadays, Susumaniello wines often get a few months of oak-barrel aging, adding some vanilla notes to the wines. Some also report spice overtones. All in all, it is quite a nice wine, and goes well with many foods.
Factoid: the grape name “Susumaniello” is derived from Italian somarello, meaning “donkey”, presumably because (like a donkey) its vines bear remarkably heavy loads.
“Until recently, the variety had fallen quite out of favour with viticulturalists; however, since…2003 it has been included in the list of varieties approved by the Apulian region for cultivation in the area of central Murgia. It is used as a blending grape in the production of both red and rosé wines.”
“The variety is enjoying a minor surge of popularity in the early 21st Century, due to renewed interest in obscure Italian grape varieties. Susumaniello grapes are used to make both red and rosé wines—sometimes vinified alone but more often blended with Negroamaro. The classic red Susumaniello wine has a deep ruby hue and aromas of red berries and plums. Richer, more concentrated examples show spicy, peppery aromas and flavors of dark chocolate.”
“From the Susumaniello a red ruby intense wine is produced with slightly rustic notes where the fruity-vegetable prevails. They are wines with a good alcohol level that is well balanced by the tannic component that is slightly more incisive and “rustic” and by a good dose of acidity that makes it a wine perfect for medium ageing…The wine looks clear, a very intense ruby red with purpleish refexes on the rim of the glass, consistent. The smell is intense with winey and fruity notes of pulpy red fruits like black cherry, prune and wild blackberry marmelade followed by vine leaf vegetables, spiced with green pepper and foxy accents, followed by slight notes of toasted vanilla that make the smell complex and fine. The taste is of a dry, warm and smooth wine, the hardness is sapid and quite fresh, in this case the acidity leads the way for sapidity and the tannins are present but well tamed, not at all rough and impetuous, the six months passed in barriques served to unnerve them and make them a little less rustic (excellent choice). A full bodied wine with a good balance between hardness and softness, the alcohol in this case plays an important role and is also aided by the period of time, even if short, passed in the barriques. Intense and with a good persistency with a fruity comeback of black cherry and prune that make the olfactory-taste very fine. Quite a harmonic wine with a ready evolutionary state.”
“The fact that the most mature plants give low production, but high concentratrate in the extracts of berries, accompanied by a good fixed acidity, allowed its rediscovering as a grape to get great red wines from, both alone and in combination with Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera di Brindisi…Susumaniello vine gives an intense ruby red wine. The fragrance is fruity and vegetal, with a certain ‘rustic’ tone. The flavor expresses a high alcohol content, tannic and with a good dose of acidity that makes it a wine prepared to a medium aging.”
“Susumaniello is a red grape native to the region of Puglia and it is experiencing a kind of renaissance and generating great interest, which is perfectly in line with that for the immense wealth of indigenous Italian grapes. The phenomenon is relatively recent and in regard to Susumaniello still quite limited in scope. The reasons for such interest in Susumaniello are quite easy to understand: it gives wine an intriguing, very dark and almost black color with bright reflections; it has well-ordered and fine tannins; a discreet yield per hectare; and it has a pleasing flavor.”
“It produces medium to full bodied red wines that range from the ripe and fruity, to the dry and structured…Quality expressions of the variety tend to give attractive berry fruit, sweet spices and depending on the level of oak ageing, some supporting notes of smoke and tobacco.”
“Medium+ intensity on the nose, aromas of black cherry, vanilla, toast, blackberries, licorice, leather, black pepper; earthy; there is a freshness element to it…reminds me of…spring forest? Full bodied palate, soft ripe tannins, a hint of sweetness at the start but absolutely dry finish. The aromas on the nose mirror those on the palate. Nice and long finish.”
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Some Descriptions of Susumaniello Wines
“Until recently, the variety had fallen quite out of favour with viticulturalists; however, since…2003 it has been included in the list of varieties approved by the Apulian region for cultivation in the area of central Murgia. It is used as a blending grape in the production of both red and rosé wines.”
“The variety is enjoying a minor surge of popularity in the early 21st Century, due to renewed interest in obscure Italian grape varieties. Susumaniello grapes are used to make both red and rosé wines—sometimes vinified alone but more often blended with Negroamaro. The classic red Susumaniello wine has a deep ruby hue and aromas of red berries and plums. Richer, more concentrated examples show spicy, peppery aromas and flavors of dark chocolate.”
“From the Susumaniello a red ruby intense wine is produced with slightly rustic notes where the fruity-vegetable prevails. They are wines with a good alcohol level that is well balanced by the tannic component that is slightly more incisive and “rustic” and by a good dose of acidity that makes it a wine perfect for medium ageing…The wine looks clear, a very intense ruby red with purpleish refexes on the rim of the glass, consistent. The smell is intense with winey and fruity notes of pulpy red fruits like black cherry, prune and wild blackberry marmelade followed by vine leaf vegetables, spiced with green pepper and foxy accents, followed by slight notes of toasted vanilla that make the smell complex and fine. The taste is of a dry, warm and smooth wine, the hardness is sapid and quite fresh, in this case the acidity leads the way for sapidity and the tannins are present but well tamed, not at all rough and impetuous, the six months passed in barriques served to unnerve them and make them a little less rustic (excellent choice). A full bodied wine with a good balance between hardness and softness, the alcohol in this case plays an important role and is also aided by the period of time, even if short, passed in the barriques. Intense and with a good persistency with a fruity comeback of black cherry and prune that make the olfactory-taste very fine. Quite a harmonic wine with a ready evolutionary state.”
“The fact that the most mature plants give low production, but high concentratrate in the extracts of berries, accompanied by a good fixed acidity, allowed its rediscovering as a grape to get great red wines from, both alone and in combination with Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera di Brindisi…Susumaniello vine gives an intense ruby red wine. The fragrance is fruity and vegetal, with a certain ‘rustic’ tone. The flavor expresses a high alcohol content, tannic and with a good dose of acidity that makes it a wine prepared to a medium aging.”
“Susumaniello is a red grape native to the region of Puglia and it is experiencing a kind of renaissance and generating great interest, which is perfectly in line with that for the immense wealth of indigenous Italian grapes. The phenomenon is relatively recent and in regard to Susumaniello still quite limited in scope. The reasons for such interest in Susumaniello are quite easy to understand: it gives wine an intriguing, very dark and almost black color with bright reflections; it has well-ordered and fine tannins; a discreet yield per hectare; and it has a pleasing flavor.”
“It produces medium to full bodied red wines that range from the ripe and fruity, to the dry and structured…Quality expressions of the variety tend to give attractive berry fruit, sweet spices and depending on the level of oak ageing, some supporting notes of smoke and tobacco.”
“Medium+ intensity on the nose, aromas of black cherry, vanilla, toast, blackberries, licorice, leather, black pepper; earthy; there is a freshness element to it…reminds me of…spring forest? Full bodied palate, soft ripe tannins, a hint of sweetness at the start but absolutely dry finish. The aromas on the nose mirror those on the palate. Nice and long finish.”