Primitivo

Cantine Due Palme is one of the most successful co-operatives in southern Italy – founded in 1989 in Cellino San Marco, the cooperative now has over 1,200 members and around 3,000 hectares of vineyards between Brindisi, Lecce and Taranto. Under the management of Angelo Maci, Due Palme has developed into a pioneer of sustainable quality production, combining state-of-the-art cellar technology with traditional cultivation methods such as Alberello Pugliese. Don Cosimo epitomises the sun-drenched power of Salento. The Primitivo grapes ripen on calcareous, loamy soils that store sufficient water even in very hot weather. After a gentle harvest in mid-September, the grapes ferment at a controlled temperature in horizontal rotary fermenters before the wine matures for six months in French barriques and then comes to rest in the bottle.

Intense ruby red with violet reflections. The aroma reveals ripe cherries, dark berries, a little clove and a hint of liquorice - typical of the Primitivo grape variety, which originally comes from Croatia but has long since found its current home in Puglia. Soft and round on the palate, with juicy fruit, fine spice and a warm, accessible final. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves the freshness and varietal purity. An uncomplicated but characterful Primitivo with Mediterranean flair, good length and a lovely flow. SUPERIORE.DE

The Cantalupi Primitivo comes from old vines in south-west Apulia and is classically vinified in stainless steel. Dark ruby in colour with a slight violet tinge. Intense aromas of ripe cherries, blackberries, some fig and delicately spicy notes of black pepper and Mediterranean herbs on the nose. Juicy on the palate with dense fruit, pleasant spice, supple tannins and a lovely flow. The acidity is present but elegantly integrated. A red wine "for every day" with plenty of character - authentic, round and pleasantly accessible. Perfect with pasta with a spicy sauce, grilled vegetables or simply on its own with good friends. SUPERIORE.DE

The name SanGaetano tells of the co-operative tradition: in 2012, Cantine Due Palme took over the small Cooperativa San Gaetano in Lizzano in order to expand the production of Primitivo di Manduria in a targeted manner. This DOC appellation has long been recognised as one of the most important red wine denominations in Apulia – appreciated both in Italy and internationally. The Primitivo vines grow on the characteristic red-coloured soils of Manduria, whose clay-limestone structure is rich in minerals and iron oxides. These soils with their rocky limestone subsoil have a decisive influence on the character of the wine. The grapes are harvested by hand in small crates at the end of August or beginning of September when they are slightly overripe to guarantee the highest quality. After temperature-controlled fermentation, the SanGaetano matures for six months in American oak barrels – an ageing process that refines the tannins and gives the wine additional complexity.

Bright ruby red with violet reflections. This Primitivo has a fresh and uncomplicated fruit flavour of ripe cherries, blackberries and a hint of Mediterranean herbs. Soft and harmonious on the palate, with a juicy texture, gentle tannins and well-integrated acidity. Maturation in stainless steel tanks preserves freshness and varietal character. "Neprica" stands for uncomplicated drinking pleasure with Apulian soul - ideal with pasta, pizza or simply in the company of good friends. SUPERIORE.DE

The name Rifugio – refuge – tells of underground hiding places where the inhabitants of Salento once protected themselves from danger. Today, an entire area near Veglie bears this name, where particularly high-quality Primitivo grapes thrive on alluvial, clayey soils with limestone deposits. The traditional Conti Zecca winery, owned by the noble family since the 16th century and one of the icons of Apulia with 320 hectares of vineyards, vinifies this single-varietal Primitivo using tried and tested methods: manual harvesting with selection at the sorting table, gentle destemming and pressing, twelve-day maceration at 25 degrees, alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Maturation takes place over twelve months in large oak barrels of 30 hectolitres and in resin-sealed concrete tanks, followed by a short period of maturation in the bottle.

Feudi di San Gregorio is an institution in Campania – greco di Tufo, Fiano di Avellino and Taurasi have made the winery from Sorbo Serpico famous. However, the Campanians have also been exploring other terroirs in southern Italy for years: in Apulia, not far from the Ionian Sea, they cultivate Primitivo vineyards, whose grapes produce an uncomplicated, authentic red wine. No big prestige line, but solid craftsmanship from one of the most traditional Primitivo regions in Italy. The vinification follows a straightforward concept: the grapes are carefully selected and fermented in stainless steel at a controlled temperature. The wine matures for several months in steel, without contact with wood, in order to preserve the fruity clarity of the grape variety. The result is an accessible Primitivo without baroque opulence – feudi di San Gregorio focusses on drinking pleasure rather than extract power.

Primitivo can be many things – jammy and overloaded, or as here: clear, elegant, with depth. The Counts Zecca vinify this wine from old vines on their Tenuta in the south-west of Salento, where calcareous soils and constant sea breezes keep the grapes healthy and concentrated. Ageing in wooden barrels and cement tanks gives the wine time to mature without bending it. Deep ruby red in the glass with garnet reflections. The bouquet surprises with smoky spice notes, a hint of tobacco and candied fruit – a far cry from the one-dimensional fruit bomb you might expect. The palate reveals a fine texture: mineral notes, silky tannins and an extract sweetness that provides structure rather than masking it. Primitivo for people who want to know what this grape variety is really capable of. SUPERIORE.DE

Gregory Perrucci has given Primitivo di Manduria back its dignity. When he founded the Felline winery in 1992, Primitivo was still a mass-produced commodity for tanker exports – cheap blended wine without prestige. Perrucci recognised the potential of the grape variety and began to systematically investigate the terroirs around Manduria. With his Accademia dei Racemi, founded in 1996, he became a pioneer in the valorisation of indigenous Apulian varieties. Today, Felline is considered a reference for Primitivo di Manduria – thanks to its work on different types of soil (terra rossa, white earth, black earth, sand) and its uncompromising focus on quality. This basic Primitivo comes from different plots of the 120 hectares of vineyards, which are organically farmed. Hand-picked, vinified separately according to soil type, matured for six months in French barriques – a classic interpretation of the variety.

The grapes for Ettamiano are harvested when slightly overripe, a trick that the famous winegrowers' co-operative likes to use with great flair. The variety should show as much of its origin as possible, which is why they rely on short maturation and only use French barriques that have been used several times. Intense ruby red colour with violet reflections. At first sip, Ettamiano is a Primitivo that is characterised by its pleasantness, but at no time does it pander. The glass reveals hints of ripe but lively fruit, spicy notes of cinnamon, then cocoa and liquorice. The flavour is consistent and persistent, supported by a fresh and spicy note that keeps you coming back for more. Long finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Giravolta – a name with a history. This was the name of the racehorse that once galloped across the Pozzopalo stud farm and always turned round abruptly in front of the old tuff quarry. This "U-turn" gave the wine its name, but it is the terra bianca, the white earth, that characterises it. While the basic Primitivo comes from the Terra Rossa, the Giravolta grows on calcareous, white soil, created by the breaking up of limestone. The tuffy, stony composition ensures rapid water drainage, but the porous stones also store moisture for the roots.

"Triusco" comes from the estate's oldest plots in the classic DOC zone around Manduria. The Primitivo vines are deeply rooted in red sand/clay soil on a limestone base - ideal conditions for density and aromatic ripeness. The 2022 vintage produced low yields but very concentrated grapes. After temperature-controlled fermentation, the wine matures for six months in barriques and a further four months in stainless steel. Dark ruby red in the glass with a violet tinge. Aromas of ripe blackberry, black cherry, some plum, cinnamon and tobacco. Soft, dense and spicy on the palate, with rich fruit, supple tannins and a warm, lingering final. An expressive Primitivo with structure, elegance and depth. SUPERIORE.DE

When the Antinori family founded their Apulian branch Tormaresca in 1998, they set an example: Southern Italy could deliver more than quantity. Torcicoda became proof of this vision – the first wine from Apulia to make it into the Wine Spectator Top 100. Its name refers to the historic grooming tool for horse manes, but also to the lush, twisting growth of the Primitivo vines, which were once called the "vine of three harvests".

Sessantanni – sixty years old. The age of the gnarled bush vines, which are rooted in traditional Alberello training on the iron oxide-rich terra rossa soils of San Marzano and Sava. This form of training, in which the vines grow low and without wire frames, is labour-intensive, but protects the grapes from the scorching Apulian sun and naturally limits yields – around 3,000 kilograms per hectare. With Sessantanni, Cantine San Marzano has created a label that has significantly shaped the international perception of Apulian wines. The fully ripe grapes are harvested by hand at the end of September. 80 per cent of the must is left to macerate for 18 days, the remaining 20 per cent for 25 days for maximum extraction. Vinification with indigenous yeasts, twelve months of ageing in French and American oak barrels.

62 years after the cooperative was founded in 1962 – this explains the name of this Riserva, which surpasses the Sessantanni in terms of ageing time and quality. The grapes come from the oldest plots of the cooperative, bush vines in Alberello training on the characteristic red clay soils of Salento. The grapes are harvested by hand, followed by prolonged maceration to maximise extraction. Then aged for 18 months in small oak barrels – six months longer than the Sessantanni –followed by further ageing in the bottle before release.

Gioia del Colle is an Italian municipality near Bari and probably the most famous DOC for Primitivo wines. The wines from this appellation embody a straightforward, fresh style and are far removed from the usual jammy suspects. The vines here grow at altitudes of up to 450 metres above sea level, the nights are cooler here than elsewhere in Apulia and the wines have a racier, tighter style and more structure than their namesakes.

Orion is a very special Primitivo, always fresh and with remarkable persistence. Dense ruby red with a violet rim, the nose has intense aromas of ripe and fleshy red cherries, followed by spicy notes such as cinnamon and nutmeg. Powerful, smooth and very long in the mouth. Its clearly defined acid wire makes it fresh and pleasantly different from the sweet, jammy Primitivo monotony that is otherwise all too often on offer. SUPERIORE.DE

"La Procura" - "The Public Prosecutor's Office". The names of Gerardo Giuratrabocchetti's wines are reminiscent of his father's world as a notary.

The grapes from vines over 35 years old give this dense Primitivo strength and finesse. Deep dark in colour, the bouquet has strong nuances of sour cherry, ripe plum and dark jam, with chocolate and coffee aromas in the background. The pronounced fruity flavours continue in the full-bodied taste. Soft and sweetly melting, balanced and long. SUPERIORE.DE

Dunico – unique in the dunes. The name already reveals what distinguishes this wine from all other Primitivo: It comes from vineyards right on the coast, where sandy soils turn into dunes and the vines still grow on their original rootstock, ungrafted, ungrafted, like before the phylloxera catastrophe. It is an absolute rarity today, as most of these coastal vineyards fell victim to the "holiday home building frenzy". What remains are a few plots with ancient bush vines and extremely low yields, which produce a Primitivo of exceptional intensity and concentration. Sandy soil protects against phylloxera – and gives the wine a unique minerality and elegance that is rarely found in Primitivo. The grapes are harvest at the end of August, earlier than all other crus, as the grapes ripen more quickly here due to the proximity to the sea and the warmth of the sand.

The self as an extension of consciousness – this is how Gianfranco Fino understands the name of this wine. The place where creativity awakens and the future emerges. A philosophy that suits the man his friends once called "Geriatra del Primitivo": The geriatrician who saves old vines where others uproot them. The adventure began in 2004, when the former olive consultant discovered an overgrown vineyard in Manduria. Fino planted a new vineyard for the Sé, following an ancient pattern: Alberello pugliese, the "rabbit ears" of Salento, with 12,000 vines per hectare. Each vine bears only 400 grams of grapes – concentrated essence instead of mass. The chalky-clay soils and the breeze from the Ionian Sea do the rest. After manual harvest and two to three weeks of maceration, the wine matures for nine months in wood, unfiltered and unfined.

Sigmund Freud defined the "id" as that part of the psyche that only obeys a single principle: lust. Unbridled, unregulated, beyond space and time. When Gianfranco Fino gave his wine this name, it was not marketing – it was a manifesto. In 2004, the former olive consultant bought his first vineyard: just 1.3 hectares near Manduria, planted with Primitivo vines over fifty years old in traditional Alberello cultivation. What began as an experiment became a revolution. Six years later, Fino stood on the stage of the Gambero Rosso and received the "Winemaker of the Year" award – the first ever winemaker from central or southern Italy. In a row with northern Italian legends such as Josko Gravner and Romano Dal Forno.

Se is a pure Primitivo, from somewhat younger vines than the Es and is the youthful-fresh, but no less elegant counterpart to the Es. Se smells very aromatic of cherry, strawberry and maple blossom. Modern style on the palate, juicy texture, all components fascinatingly coordinated, long and lively. SUPERIORE.DE

What comes after perfection? Gianfranco Fino has found an answer. Today, the winemaker cultivates fourteen plots of land around Manduria, each with its own character, each vinified separately. At the end of each vintage, he stands in the cellar between his barriques and tastes. He is not looking for the best – he looks for what touches him most deeply. "Che più ha emozionato", as he calls it. In 2019, there were five barrels that he couldn't let go of. These five barriques come from the estate's oldest vineyard: ninety-year-old Alberello vines, whose gnarled trunks rise barely knee-high from the red clay soil. Four hundred grams of grapes per vine – a blink of an eye yield for an explosion of concentration. After slight over-ripening on the vine, the grapes are harvested by hand, selected again in the cantina and then fermented on the skins for three to four weeks. The wine rests for twelve months in French oak before being bottled. A further forty-eight months of bottle ageing follow before a single bottle leaves the winery.