Destiny arrives uninvited and never takes off its hat. Over the arc of our winery’s history, it actually happened twice. First, it took off its gloves and put down its suitcase in the form of a woman who recognized how a grand opera would emerge from the tiny voice of bulk wine in Southern Italy. Her name was Teresa Manara. She was the key that opened a door for a family’s passion. Thanks to Teresa, and her husband Giovanni Battista Cantele of course, that family became masters of the art of winemaking. Her spirit became the essence of all the vintages harvest by successive generations. As they took turns singing the various parts, they were the players in an opera that was produced so many times that it became a classic. Their mother earth was marked by seasons that blended into one another, just like all human life, with one fading into the next.

Teresa Manara isn’t just the name of a Chardonnay and a Negroamaro: Hers is the name of a before and after in our memories. It’s a loving homage to a woman, a mother, a wife, our muse and our grandmother. She traveled across Italy during a time when only men were allowed to run businesses. Today, her character and temperament are embodied by our top selections of Chardonnay and Negroamaro, wines that were created by her son Augusto Cantele in the 1990s.

Made from a selection of top Negroamaro grapes and aged in new French barriques, Teresa Manara Negroamaro is considered a benchmark for Salento viticulture.