Primitivo di Manduria 'Sessantanni' San Marzano 2018

The Primitivo di Manduria "Sessantanni" is a harmonious and intense red wine with rich and seductive aromas that envelop the senses with soft notes of red fruit, hints of oriental spices, and woody memories. It is a wine that expresses well the warm and sensual character of the great red wines of Puglia, born from a Mediterranean and sunny climate, generous and ripe grapes. The name of the grape variety indicates its early ripening, and DNA investigations have revealed that its origins are Dalmatian. In fact, it is a variety known on the other side of the Adriatic by the ancient name of Tribidrag, identical to Crljenak Kaštelanski and Californian Zinfandel.

"Sessantanni" is produced by Cantine San Marzano with a careful selection of the best grapes, which come from old vineyards cultivated in the countryside of the municipalities of San Marzano and Sava. The vines are cultivated in the traditional bush style on the typical red soils of the area, rich in iron oxides, which rest on limestone and rocky substrates. The warm and dry climate naturally tends to contain yields, and the significant temperature variations between day and night favor the development of particularly intense aromatic profiles. The grapes are hand-picked at a slightly overripe stage, with selection of the most beautiful and rich clusters in the vineyard. Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature of 24-26 °C using selected indigenous yeasts from the vineyard. 80% of the mass remains in maceration on the skins for 18 days, and 20% continues maceration for 25 days, allowing for a deeper extraction. After racking, the Primitivo is aged for 12 months in French and American oak barrels.

The "Sessantanni" Primitivo di Manduria represents the highest quality of Cantina San Marzano and one of the most interesting expressions of this great Mediterranean grape variety. It is a red wine suitable for those who love breadth, structure, and rich, almost opulent extraction, resulting in warm, soft, and enveloping sensations. In the glass, it has a very intense ruby color. The bouquet expresses mature aromas of red fruit, jam notes, spicy hints, toasty and woody nuances. On the palate, it has a dense body of aromas, with beautiful tertiary evolutions that amplify its complexity. The tannic texture is harmonious, the freshness very balanced, and the finish of great persistence.