Winery / Producer: Leone de Castris (Aristocratic Apulian winemakers since 1665).

Region of Origin: D.O.C. Salice Salentino Rosso Riserva, Salento, Apulia (Puglia), Italy.

Grape Variety: Primarily Negroamaro from old vines with meticulous clonal selection.

Wine Type: Ultra-premium and collection still red wine (Author's Riserva).

Sweetness Classification: Dry.

Winemaking and Aging: Manual harvesting in small crates with double bunch selection in the cellar. Prolonged skin maceration at strictly controlled temperatures for 14 to 18 days for perfect polyphenol extraction. Malolactic fermentation is fully carried out in oak barrels. Subsequently, the wine matures for a period of 18 to 24 months in new French oak barrels, followed by prolonged bottle aging of at least one year.

Alcohol Content: 14.5% Vol.

Serving Temperature: 16°C - 18°C (It is imperative to decant for a minimum of 45 to 60 minutes before serving).

SKU / MPN: IT-LC-DLISSA-RS-750ML

Appearance: Displays an imposing, dense, deep, and opaque ruby red color with sophisticated garnet and brick-red reflections at the edges that confirm its masterful evolution.

Nose: An aristocratic, three-dimensional, and supremely complex bouquet. Immediately reveals sublime notes of black berry jam, prunes, and candied figs. As it opens, the glass is flooded with sumptuous tertiary aromas of dark chocolate, espresso coffee, pipe tobacco, Madagascar vanilla, licorice, and a fresh, unmistakable balsamic hint of eucalyptus and Mediterranean menthol.

Palate: Superb, broad, and overwhelmingly sumptuous entry. On the palate, it is strictly dry, exhibiting a monumental structure and a full, dense body. The tannins are a velvety caress of impeccable ripeness and firmness. It shows a noble and vibrant acidity that masterfully balances its concentration and alcoholic warmth. The finish is extraordinarily long, majestic, and eternal, with a refined aftertaste evoking fine spices, roasted cocoa, and baked dark fruits.

Precision Gourmet Pairing: Donna Lissa is a cult wine that requires high-couture gastronomic dishes worthy of its imposing structure. It harmonizes sublimely with hyper-aged premium red meat cuts (such as Wagyu, Tomahawk, or grilled Porterhouse), slow-roasted lamb with fine spices, duck magret with a dark fruit reduction, and big game meats like wild boar or venison in complex stews. It is the perfect companion for dishes with fresh black truffle, very creamy porcini mushroom risottos, and truffled lasagnas. It culminates the experience celestially when paired with ultra-aged and complex cheese boards (such as long-aged Parmigiano Reggiano, Roquefort, or aged Pecorino) and even with dark chocolate desserts with a high percentage of cocoa.

Suggested Moments:

• Special Celebration (The Great Milestones): The definitive bottle to commemorate life's most significant moments: silver or golden weddings, highly relevant anniversaries, inaugurations, or a gala toast where only the exceptional is acceptable.
• Business (High-Sphere Dinners): Uncorking Donna Lissa Rosso Riserva is a declaration of maximum status, respect, and connoisseurship. The supreme ally for celebrating historical business alliances and signing memorable agreements.
• The Perfect Gift (Cult): A monumental and infallible gift for great collectors, sommeliers, and true connoisseurs who value the most exclusive, rare, and awarded labels of the Old World.
• Ultra-Gourmet Barbecue: Ideal for transforming a barbecue evening into a private, top-tier gastronomic experience, accompanying imported cuts of superior marbling.
• Exclusive Family Meal: To preside over the table at the most important banquets of the year, turning a festive dinner or meal into an unforgettable memory for the entire family.

What is the specific origin and winery of this red wine?

This author's and collection wine is produced by the mythical and centenary winery Leone de Castris, founded in 1665. Its specific origin is rigorously located under the prestigious D.O.C. Salice Salentino Rosso Riserva designation, in the Salento peninsula, Apulia (Puglia) region, Italy.

Is this wine dry, semi-dry, or sweet?

The Donna Lissa Rosso Riserva is a strictly dry wine. It offers an opulent, dense, and supremely unctuous journey thanks to the concentration of its old vines, but it is completely free of residual sugar, culminating in a clean, noble, and very sophisticated finish.

Why is Donna Lissa considered Leone de Castris's cult wine?

Donna Lissa represents the winery's most stringent selection. It is produced only in perfect climatic vintages from old Negroamaro vines with very low yield but extraordinary concentration, receiving the most meticulous and prolonged aging treatment in new barrels from the house.

Is it necessary to decant it and what is its aging potential in a cellar?

Yes, due to its monumental concentration, structural complexity, and long barrel aging, it imperatively requires decanting for 45 to 60 minutes before serving to allow its aromatic layers to express themselves. As for its aging potential, it is extraordinary: it will evolve sublimely in a cellar for the next 8 to 15 years.