The Minutolo grape variety has been present since ancient times in the Val d’Itria, located in Puglia between the provinces of Bari, Brindisi, and Taranto, where it was known as Fiano Minutolo but also Moscatellina due to its aromatic characteristics. In reality, the ampelographic traits and aromatic profile make it completely different from Fiano, which originates from the Avellino area. In the past, Minutolo was used in small percentages in the DOC wines of Locorotondo and Martina Franca, but it was later replaced by the more productive and now more common varieties, Bianco di Alessano and Verdeca, in these areas. Like other ancient Puglian indigenous grape varieties that are not very productive due to their small and sparse clusters, Minutolo was on the verge of extinction and had been lost since the 1970s. However, it was recently rediscovered during a research project aimed at finding old vineyards scattered throughout the territory.

Minutolo has a medium-sized, cylindrical, and rather elongated cluster with multiple wings. The berries are ellipsoidal, medium-small, with a slightly pruinose, leathery skin that, at maturity, takes on a golden yellow color with amber hues. Minutolo is a grape variety of medium vigor, which prefers clay-limestone soils and is grown on trellises or bush vines (alberello). Its ripening period is around early September. With proper reductive vinification (i.e., in stainless steel, at relatively low temperatures, and minimizing oxygen exposure), Minutolo can produce very interesting, aromatic, and fragrant wines with a characteristic and intense aromatic note. On the palate, these wines are dry, savory, and well-balanced in taste. More recently, Minutolo wines produced using wood during both fermentation and aging have been introduced.