Antico Palmento

History, tradition, and passion in the heart of Manduria.

Antico Palmento is a family-run winery located in the historic center of Manduria, Southern Puglia. Officially founded in 2006, it stems from the vision of **Bruno Garofano**, a winemaker with over forty years of experience as a consultant for Puglian estates, who chose to turn his deep knowledge into a personal project, supported by his children. At the heart of the estate is the **Antico Palmento**, an ancient stone structure purchased in 1998 and carefully restored, where authentic wines — pure expressions of the territory — are crafted today. With Primitivo vineyards trained in the traditional *alberello pugliese* system in the Manduria countryside, the winery produces exclusively Primitivo di Manduria DOC and DOCG wines, interpreted with fidelity to origins and openness to innovation.

Why Choose Antico Palmento

✅ A restored historic palmento: ancient winemaking facility in Manduria’s old town, symbol of Mediterranean winemaking heritage
✅ Four decades of winemaking expertise: founder Bruno Garofano brings deep technical knowledge of Primitivo from decades of consulting
✅ Old-vine Primitivo on bush vines: historic vineyards acquired in 2000, farmed in full respect of Salentine tradition
✅ Artisanal, traceable production: hand harvesting, fermentation in restored historic tanks, bottling on-site
✅ Five iconic labels: including *La Dolce Vite* and *Acini Spargoli*, awarded at national and international wine events

Company Technical Profile

Location:	Manduria, Taranto, Puglia, Italy
Founder:	Bruno Garofano
Founded:	2006 (palmento acquired in 1998; vineyards in 2000)
Historic facility:	Antico Palmento in Manduria’s historic center, conservatively restored in 2001
Main grape variety:	Primitivo (100%)
Training system:	Puglian bush vines (alberello) — old vines
Appellations:	Primitivo di Manduria DOC and DOCG
Labels:	5 wines (including La Dolce Vite, Acini Spargoli, Riserva Magnum)

History and Winemaking Philosophy

The story of Antico Palmento is a love story with the land of Manduria. It began in 1998, when Bruno Garofano acquired an ancient *palmento* — a stone fermentation basin where, for centuries, grapes were foot-trodden and left to ferment — in the heart of the town. In 2000, he added old Primitivo vineyards, trained on *alberello*, and in 2001 launched the conservative restoration of the structure, reviving original concrete tanks and fermentation vats. In 2006, the family winery was formally established, and in 2009 the first two wines debuted: *La Dolce Vite* and *Acini Spargoli*.
The winemaking philosophy is captured in Bruno’s words: *“Stay faithful to old traditions, yet always open to innovative techniques.”* The result is a range of essential, authentic wines — “stripped of the superfluous” — capable of speaking straight to the heart. Today, the estate is led by Bruno alongside his children: **Gabriele** (vineyards and cellar) and **Mariangela** (business management), embodying a perfect balance between memory and future. Every bottle tells the story of Manduria: sun, limestone, clay, concentrated grapes, and the millennia-old echo of *palmenti* — places where Mediterranean civilization learned to turn grapes into poetry.