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SOMMWINE GRAPE LIBRARY
Susumaniello
Also known as Susipaniello, Sussumariello, Cozzomaniello, Cuccipaniello, Grismaniello, Susomaniello, Susumariello, Susumariello nero, Zingariello, Zuzumaniello
Susumaniello is a black-berried wine grape with a long record in Puglia and a particularly strong modern association with Brindisi. DNA work cited by the regional cultivar dossier connects it with a cluster of local names, while its deeper origin and parentage remain uncertain. The Brindisi denomination provides one precisely defined expression: a predominantly Susumaniello red whose official description includes woodland-fruit aroma and a velvety, persistent palate. Regional accounts say the grape is usually blended, so that appellation style should not be treated as a universal promise.
ColourRed
ClassificationVitis vinifera (European Grapevine Catalogue/VIVC identity record #12110; black-berried wine cultivar).
Typical bodyNot assigned as a fixed cultivar trait. Brindisi DOP wine is described as velvety and harmonious; this is a denomination-specific descriptor.
Typical acidityThe regional cultivar dossier reports high total acidity in its described wine use, but does not establish a universal value across sites and vintages.
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At a Glance
Red wines; regional material says Susumaniello is used almost always in blends.
Typical tannin: No sufficiently supported cultivar-wide level found; not asserted.
Aromas and Flavours
- Puglia’s regional dossier describes intense colour, high acidity and a dry, austere taste in its wine summary. The Brindisi DOP specification separately describes that defined wine as ruby with violet reflections, woodland-fruit aroma and a velvety, persistent, harmonious palate. Neither account guarantees the character of every bottling.
Where It Grows
- Puglia
- Brindisi
- Salento
- Italy
Climate and Winemaking
Its documented growing context is Puglia, especially Brindisi. The sources reviewed do not establish a cultivar-specific climate-response rule.
The regional cultivar dossier records medium-early budbreak, medium flowering, medium-late veraison, medium-late ripening and high vigour. It also reports higher production in young plantings than in plantings over ten years old; retain this as the dossier’s reported observation, not a universal yield law.
Regional material records wine use almost always in blends; the Brindisi product specification establishes a separate named red type with minimum varietal composition and sensory/legal analytical criteria. No general maceration, oak or maturation method is asserted.
Food Pairings
- Editorial suggestion: try a structured Brindisi example with grilled meat or a tomato-rich Puglian dish, adjusting for the individual wine’s weight and tannin. This is a pairing idea, not a cultivar fact.
Ageing Potential
- Not stated; evidence does not establish a cultivar-wide ageing trajectory.
Test Your Knowledge
- Why should the Brindisi DOP descriptor not be treated as a universal tasting profile for all Susumaniello wines?
- Which parts of Susumaniello’s origin and parentage remain unconfirmed?
- How do local cultivar synonyms differ from appellation names?
