Description

ABOUT THE PRODUCER:
In 1962, 19 vine growers from San Marzano, whose families had farmed the land for generations, combined their efforts to establish ‘Cantine San Marzano’. Through the decades, this cooperative has grown significantly, attracting over 1,200 top-quality vine growers. Using modern, technologically advanced vinification techniques, they produce elegant wines that pay homage to ancient Apulian wine traditions. The fusion of time-honoured tradition, passion, and contemporary techniques enables this winery to produce wines with distinctive varietal and regional characteristics that reflect the local terroir. In 2022, San Marzano was awarded the ‘Cooperative Winery of the Year Award’ by Gambero Rosso.

THE VINTAGE:
The 2023 wine vintage in Puglia was characterised by a warm and dry growing season with summer temperatures reaching 40°C in some areas. These conditions led to early harvests and healthy grapes. While some areas experienced drought, resulting in the need for irrigation, the overall quality of the grapes was good, with potential for excellent wines.

ABOUT THE VINEYARD:
The vineyard is situated approximately 100 metres above sea level, in IGP Salento. The vines benefit from high average temperatures and relatively low rainfall. The soils are shallow and clayey, interspersed with rocks, which provides a good balance between drainage and water retention. The vines are espalier trained, which optimises sun exposure in this hot, dry climate to promote ripening, while controlling vine vigour and disease. Treatments are overseen by an agronomist and tailored to the seasonal needs, using copper and sulphur. Harvesting takes place in the cool of the early morning during the first week of September, once optimal ripeness has been achieved. Mechanical harvesters are employed for the majority of the vineyard, with manual harvesting reserved for steeper, less accessible areas.

THE WINEMAKING PROCESS:
The grapes underwent temperature-controlled maceration at 25°C for approximately 10 days to extract the desired level of colour, flavour and fine tannins. Alcoholic fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with yeasts specially selected for Primitivo. Stirring was carried out twice daily, adjusting the duration as needed throughout fermentation. The wine was made in an unoaked style to preserve the vibrancy of fruit and varietal characteristics.

OUR TASTING NOTE:
Intense aromas of ripe prune and dark cherry are complemented by hints of savoury spice, rosemary and a whisper of vanilla. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied yet soft, with a balanced structure and approachable tannins leading to a smooth finish.

GRAPE VARIETY:
Primitivo 100%.