Manduria

A few years ago, Primitivo di Manduria was obscure and totally dominated by large cooperatives that primarily produced dull, sweet and oxidized bulk red wines in rather large quantities, but at the beginning of the 1990s a few serious producers took the pruning shears in the other hand and decided to saddle up. New equipment and production methods were put into use, and from almost wandering around a dead end, Manduria developed into one of the most dynamic and forward-looking wine regions in Italy.

The name "Primitivo" is derived from the Italian word "primi" (early), which refers to the grape's early harvest time. It is therefore by no means a primitive wine.

The Primitivo variety has been determined to be related to California's Zinfandel grape, which is said to have arrived in North America from Central Europe. As a consequence of the family ties, several producers in Puglia now also call their Primitivo Zinfandel. Doesn't that help wine sales in the US a bit?

In the past, Apulia's version of Primitivo/Zinfandel was a wild crab that was difficult to tame. Violent, opulent, dry and sometimes almost sweet. Thus, there was very little in common with the American relative, but now it has succeeded in taming Primitivo and thus bringing out the cousin's elegance.