Minnowist

Hi everyone,

Firstly, thanks SO much to everyone who has posted on Puglia. I am using your postings as a guide, and I have to say that I have never seen such a collection of quality information in these types of forums. Thank you.

Now, my question: we're staying in a masseria just outside of Ostuni for a couple of nights in late September. We'd like to do a wine/olive oil tour while we're there. We'll have a car, but our ideal after many days of driving would be to leave our car at the hotel and hire someone to drive us and guide us. I will also ask at the hotel, but wanted to ask here:

1) Could anyone recommend an english-speaking person in the area who might provide such a service?

2) Any recommendations for must visit wineries, olive oil producers, or cheese producers?

Thanks again.

kybourbon

If you don't get any responses, try posting a question on one of eks trip reports of Puglia. If you haven't already read them, they have some info about wineries and olive oil/cheese producers. Most posters log on to Fodor's and click on their own screen name. If a question has been asked on a thread they've started or participated on, it will bring the thread to the top of their thread list and they will notice it and click on it.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-di-senise.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ern-puglia.cfm

vito80ba

Hi Minnowist,
I'm not a guide, but I live in Puglia
I have some friends of mine who produce directly wine and oil.

Let me know if you want some tips!
Vito

P.S. The best areas to buy/view cheese is Gioia del Colle and Andria (North Puglia)

ekscrunchy

Glad to see you back here, Vito!

ekscrunchy

I forgot to mention that there is a cheese maker in Speziale, a tiny hamlet of Fasano on the SS16. The name is Crovace and it is on the main road. They run a cheese/food shop and make the cheese in the rear of the store. They will allow you to view the manufacture but you must get there in the morning in time to see them work. They do not speak English as far as I know, so that guide might be helpful, but you could also go there alone and watch. The drive from Ostuni would be easy.

You could probably do this at any of the latticini in the area, if you cannot make it to the Andria area to see the burrata being made.


Not far from the Crovace store is an agriturismo/azienda/hotel that has received acclaim for their olive oils.


http://www.borgosanmarco.it/prodotti_tipici_en.php

vito80ba

Hi Ekscrunchy,
glad to see you too... I just got married, a good stress test
Here you can find my weeding location
http://www.pugliaetmores.it/italiano...&IDazienda=814

Beautiful place and amazing party
Vito

ekscrunchy

Felicitations, Vito! We wish you all the best. I bet it was a super party and I hope you have lots of photos!


I must tell you that I took your advice and had dinner at Da Renzina in Savelletri a few months ago. The spaghetti with ricci di mare was probably the best pasta dish I had in the entire week!

My sister is headed to the area in a few weeks; do you have any more recommendations for restaurants in the area of Savelletri? Do you know the restaurant next door to Da Renzina?
What about in Torre Canne?

I fell in love with Puglia and hope to return in the not-too-distant future!

vito80ba

Mhmhm, sorry but I don't visit very often Savelletri...

Torre Canne it's a good place to stay during the summer months (june-early september), but out of this period it's like a ghost town
You know that, for have some good time and a delicious journey, the best choice is the Valle d'Itria (Ostuni, Martina Franca, Cisternino).
Maybe in late September the best value quality/price/stay is the Salento (from Lecce to Santa Maria di Leuca).

Vito

Minnowist

Vito (and everyone else, of course), any tips you could give would be great!

vito80ba

Minnowist,
surely the best tips from a "pugliese" like me is:
buy what you want from any shop you want but not in shop located in a turistic area.
For example: if you are in Alberobello visit the "trulli" but if you want to buy something go around the town, in the small urban area located outside the center.
Also, you can ask advice to the old men sitting on the benches

Remember that in Italy, and especially in the south of the nation, there are a lots of small productor of food/cheese/oil/wine. The best way to buy is discovering this productors located around the small towns.

Maybe, I could be your guide (with an imperfect english but with a great love of my country )

Vito

tcinct

Hi Minowest,

We visited Puglia for the first time in July. We arranged tours to Matera and Lecce through Alessandra Fumarola of Salento Flavours-website: www.salentoflavours.com. Alessandra was quick to respond to emails, built customized tours for our interests, and included easy driving directions to meet our guides.

Another possibility is an agency that offered to organize day trips to wineries in the area. http://www.italianwineholidays.co.uk/daytours.asp. Though we didn't book a tour with them we did get quick replies from our emails inquiring about their services.

Have a great holiday!