A rich, full-bodied blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Primitivo, Pillastro Nero is a one-of-a-kind oak-spiced red we can’t get enough of. It somehow manages to capture all the opulence of sunbaked Puglia, Italy (where it’s made) while delivering a cavalcade of brooding dark fruit flavors.

But this wine’s delicious duality is hardly a surprise when you consider the source. It hails from Cantine Due Palme, a winemaking cooperative with countless awards to its name—including Gambero Rosso’s Cooperative Cellar of the Year in both 2021 and 2023—and was founded by three-time Vinitaly Winemaker of the Year Angelo Maci.

A third-generation winemaker from Salento, Puglia, Angelo is something of a local legend. When he launched the winery back in 1989, he championed small, independent grape-growing folks who were being let down by bigger wine corporations. Back then, he worked with just 15 families. Today, the co-op counts 1,000+ members—managing some 7,500 acres of vines between them.

Now more than 80 years old, Angelo has begun taking steps away from Due Palme, handing control of operations to his daughter Melissa, while his grandson, Francesco Fortunato, has taken over winemaking. And the wines are tasting better than ever.

For this one, Francesco and the Cantine Due Palme team used fruit from one of the co-op’s 80-year-old albarello-trained vineyards. These bush vines are gnarled heirlooms that yield precious few grapes that are like little knots of intensely concentrated flavor.

In the glass, this results in a luscious and velvety palate of ripe black and bramble fruit flavors, supported by sweetly spiced notes of toasty oak. With low acidity and low tannins, it goes down ebay on its own and with food.

This is a wine you’ll want to stock up on—trust us.