Primitivo

Originally from Croatia, Primitivo thrives in Puglia's limestone soils. Known as Zinfandel in the New World, especially California, it's aged in American oak, echoing flavors of Lodi's renowned red Zinfandels. This grape produces bold, tannic wines like Primitivo di Manduria, including its naturally sweet Dolce Naturale variant. Primitivo is not only crafted into single-varietal wines but also enhances red blends, elegant rosato’ss with summer fruits, and fortified Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale.

Taste
Primitivo's pronounced flavors often evoke the essence of very ripe dark berries, accompanied by notes of liquorice and black pepper.

Other
The name Primitivo, roughly translating to "early one" (similar to the Spanish Tempranillo), refers to its early-ripening nature. Contrary to the implication, the term doesn't imply primitiveness but rather an early harvest. Primitivo wines' robust character, known as Mirr Test ('hard wine') in Puglia, might lead to misconceptions about its refinement compared to other grape varieties.