Natalino del Prete is a quiet man with lively blue eyes, a point of reference for organic viticulture in Puglia at a time when most of his neighbours were still chasing yields. On 10 hectares of clay soils in San Donaci, in the province of Brindisi, he farms gobelet-trained vines, some more than 80 years old, with a restraint that borders on ascetic: no fertilizers, no irrigation, no chemicals, no mechanization. He was certified organic in 1994, well before the designation became fashionable.
Backstory
The del Prete family has cultivated these vineyards for generations, but Natalino was the first to dedicate himself exclusively to viticulture rather than mixed farming. He made wines in the simplest way he knew, and that simplicity — unfiltered, unfined, unsulfured, aged in concrete — turned out to be exactly what a generation of natural wine drinkers was looking for. His daughter Mina now represents the fourth generation of winemakers in the family.
The Region
San Donaci sits in the Salento peninsula at the heel of Italy, where continental heat is moderated by sea breezes from both the Adriatic and the Ionian. The soils are clay with rocky pebbles in the Torre Nova parcel, providing drainage and mineral complexity despite the flat terrain. Elevation is low, but the maritime influence is constant.
Vineyards and Farming
The estate's 10 hectares are planted primarily to Negroamaro and Primitivo, with smaller plantings of Malvasia Nera, Aleatico, Sussumaniello (planted 2019), and Malvasia of Brindisi (planted 2018). All vines are trained in the traditional Pugliese gobelet style (alberello), which limits yields naturally and forces the canopy open for air circulation. There is no irrigation, no plowing beyond the minimum, and no chemical inputs of any kind.
Winemaking
Fermentation and aging both take place in large concrete tanks. Rackings are kept to an absolute minimum, and no sulfur is added at any stage — from crush through bottling. Natalino bottles to order, meaning some wines rest in concrete for extended periods depending on demand. The result is wines with a rustic directness that his importer Louis Dressner describes as "unpretentious peasant wine meant for everyday consumption."
The Wines
The current range includes Nataly (Primitivo), Anne (Negroamaro), Torre Nova (Primitivo, single vineyard), Il Prodigo (rosato), Jolly (a light Negroamaro), Susumaniello, and Sorso Antico. All carry the Salento IGT designation and are imported in the United States by Louis Dressner Selections.
