Alberto Longo

Seventeenth- and nineteenth-century buildings

Masseria Celentano is a seventeenth-century masseria in the Tavoliere delle Puglie. It retains vaulted ceilings, wooden roof beams and a large brick fireplace, preserving architectural evidence of more than four centuries of rural history. The family subsequently restored the property for hospitality as well as agriculture, retaining or replacing historic fabric with materials consistent with those used in the seventeenth century.

The winery at Lucera occupies Fattoria Cavalli, a nineteenth-century agricultural property. The old farm was completely restored and adapted both for wine production and for receiving visitors. Its former grain-storage pits became the barrel cellar.

The Longo family’s agricultural roots

From the 1960s, the Longo family cultivated vineyards and olive groves around San Severo and Pietramontecorvino, on the hills of northern Daunia. Giovanni and Adele Longo are associated with these early family activities. Alberto Longo participated enthusiastically in the family’s work from childhood and formed the ambition to continue its winegrowing tradition while improving productive potential and product quality through technology.

1976: recognition of Cacc’e Mmitte di Lucera

The Cacc’e Mmitte di Lucera denomination was established in 1976. The wine’s historical roots lie in the small vineyards maintained by Lucera families at the beginning of the twentieth century. Growers without their own equipment rented the palmenti of large landowners. Each brought in—or mmitte—the grapes, then removed—or cacc’e—the must promptly after fermentation to limit rental costs and free the vessel for the next grower. The alternating removal of wine and addition of grapes gave the denomination its name. Alberto Longo later made defending the denomination’s prestige and broadening awareness of it a central objective.

2000: establishment of Alberto Longo

Alberto Longo was founded in 2000, formalizing the family’s older agricultural and winegrowing tradition. The enterprise developed around two properties near Lucera: approximately 8 ha of vines at Fattoria Cavalli and approximately 27 ha beside Masseria Celentano.

Modern winery development

The restored Fattoria Cavalli became the production base in Lucera. Advanced equipment was installed to control and manage production, vinification and bottling. A new building adjoining the historic farm now contains the bottling line and warehouse, where finished wines are stored and prepared for shipment. The barrel cellar occupies the old grain pits, with controlled light, temperature and humidity providing stable ageing conditions.

The project also extended beyond production. Fattoria Cavalli was opened for winery visits and tastings, while the restored Masseria Celentano became the Longo family residence and an agritourism property connected to the vineyards, local food and the landscape of northern Puglia.

Alberto Longo presents itself as an organic agricultural enterprise. Wine grapes, olives, cereals, fruit and vegetables are grown on estate land without substances or chemical products considered harmful to human health or highly polluting.

The 35 ha of vines are trained to Guyot. A strict production protocol combines high vine density with very low production per plant. Across the vineyards, the reported average crop is approximately 80–90 quintals per hectare, equivalent to 8–9 metric tonnes per hectare.

Harvesting differs by range: grapes destined for Alberto Longo wines are picked exclusively by hand, while fruit for the separate Masseria Celentano line is harvested mechanically. The manual harvest is the practice relevant to the Alberto Longo range.

Environmental management extends to the working farm. Water and unnecessary energy consumption are reduced at both the winery and masseria; materials and objects are reduced, reused and recycled; organic cleaning agents or preparations based on water, vinegar and other natural solvents are preferred; and estate-grown, organic, natural and locally sourced products are used for hospitality.

Production takes place at Fattoria Cavalli, a completely restored nineteenth-century agricultural complex in Lucera. Modern equipment permits control and management of the principal stages of production, vinification and bottling.

A purpose-built structure adjoining the old farm houses the bottling line and warehouse. Finished wines are stored there and prepared for shipment.

The barrel cellar was created in the farm’s former underground grain-storage pits. Light, temperature and humidity are controlled to maintain appropriate conditions for maturation. Environmental conditions are studied and managed according to the requirements of each production stage.