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 2019 vintage experienced a rainy winter which helped to restore soil water reserves. A mild spring followed with little rain through to a very hot, dry and windy summer, which reduced disease pressure in the vineyard. Good diurnal temperature differences encouraged regular ripening of the grapes, resulting in healthy, ripe fruit with balancing natural acidity. The harvest started five days earlier than the previous year.

ABOUT THE VINEYARD:
This wine is made from old vines that are at least 60 years old and are trained on the traditional Alberello bush vine system of Puglia. These very old vineyards are located in San Marzano and Sava (TA), Salento, Puglia, in the central area of the DOP Primitivo di Manduria. The climate is characterised by high temperatures all year round, very little rainfall and high diurnal temperature differences, which create a long hang time allowing the fruit to build aromatic complexity and balance freshness. The soil is loam, which is finely textured and rich in iron oxides that give the topsoil a distinctive red hue. The calcareous subsoil is made up of limestone with few emerging rocks. These old vines are used for the production of San Marzano’s top wines as they guarantee low yields of juice with good concentration of polyphenols. The grapes are hand-harvested in order to preserve the integrity of the fruit.

THE WINEMAKING PROCESS:
The grapes were hand-harvested in an advanced stage of ripening. Destemming and crushing were followed by cold soak maceration at 8°C for approximately 24 to 48 hours. Thermo-controlled maceration and alcoholic fermentation lasted for around 10 days with autochthonous yeasts at 24 to 26°C. Malolactic conversion took place in stainless steel tanks, and then the wine spent 12 months in French and American oak barrels.

OUR TASTING NOTE:
Complex aromas of ripe fruit, prune and cherry jam are complemented by hints of tobacco. Full-bodied and rich in elegant tannins with a harmoniously balanced finish.

GRAPE VARIETY:
Primitivo 100%.

AWARD:
• Tre Bicchieri, Gambero Rosso, 2024
• 99 Points, Luca Maroni, 2024