Primitivo

Primitivo wines of Puglia

Primitivo is an autochthonous vine of southern Italy mainly limited to the production area of Puglia, in the provinces of Lecce (Manduria), Bari (Gioia del Colle) and Andria. Sapling plantations continue in Basilicata and are the ninth Italian variety for extensions of vineyard area with 17,000 hectares, slightly less than the even more popular Negroamaro from Puglia.

The Primitivo grape produces an intense red wine, structured and spicy, with a high alcohol content, higher than the competitor Negroamaro. It leapt to international prominence in the 1970s when its resemblance to California Zinfandel (Primitivo in Italy) was observed.

Subsequent DNA tests have confirmed the theory, but so far there is no conclusive proof that the variety was born in Puglia. In southern Italy Puglia red winemaking techniques and equipment are so sophisticated that in Northern California, this variety can produce wines that are wonderfully full of character.