Leone de Castris
Leon de Castris
The De Castris family is a renowned dynasty in the world of Italian wine, famous for producing highly appreciated wines such as the Rosè Five Roses and the Salice Salentino Riserva Donna Lisa red wine. The southern region of Italy, where the family's estate is located, shows a strong Spanish influence, reflecting the area's geography and centuries of Spanish occupation.
The family's estate, established by Spanish viceroys who saw the agricultural potential of the Salento peninsula, has grown to cover 12,500 acres of property. In 1665, the cellars were constructed to ferment and age the wines, and the family became pioneers in bottling their own wines, introducing the Five Roses Rosato in 1943, the first Italian rosé to be marketed in bottle. They followed this with the first Salice in 1954, another pioneering step.
The family continues to be one of the major names in Puglia, with a focus on quality and tradition. They have engaged the services of consulting oenologist Riccardo Cotarella to improve the quality of their wines, resulting in fine wines such as the Five Roses 72° Anniversario Rosato this year and the Donna Lisa Malvasia, as well as the excellent Salice Saletino Rosso Riserva 50° Anniversario and the Salice Salentino Rosso Riserva Donna Lisa.
The Leone de Castris family has been making wines in Salice Salentino for over three centuries, starting with Duke Oronzo, Earl of Lemos, who became enchanted with the region and sold all his properties in Spain to draw the best from the Salentine-rich terroir. The family began exporting bulk wine to the United States, Germany, and France in the 19th century, but began bottling their own wines under Piero and Lisetta Leone de Castris.
Their most important wine, Five Roses, was first bottled in 1943, after it was tasted and approved by American General Charles Poletti. The Five Roses dates back to the closing stages of World War II when Don Piero, the current family patriarch's grandfather, exhibited his initiative and audacity. He had his wine sampled by the Allied Forces' Supply Officer, American General Charles Poletti. The wine was a hit, and since then, Five Roses has been the family's flagship wine, earning a traditional status and elevating both the company and Salento's prominence. The wine is named "Five Roses" after the family crest, which was so-called because each de Castris generation had five children.
Here is the FIVE ROSES special edition 80th anniversary.
CLICK TO VIEW THE LAUNCH VIDEO OF THE FIVE ROSES 80th anniversary.
The Red Salice Salentino was launched in 1954, and the company's efforts led to its DOC denomination in the early '70s. The winery direction passed to Cavaliere del Lavoro Salvatore Leone de Castris in the '60s and to his son Piernicola Leone de Castris in the '90s.
The family's winery produces a wide range of red and white DOC wines, such as Salice Salentino and Primitivo di Manduria, as well as interesting IGT Salento and Puglia wines. Their wines have won awards and received international recognition, and are now exported all over the world.
Along with their famous Rosé, the winery produces a wide range of red and white DOC wines (Salice Salentino, Primitivo di Manduria) and interesting IGT Salento and Puglia wines. Leone de Castris wines have won awards and received prestigious international recognition. Their products are today exported all over the world.
