A Mano, Primitivo di Puglia
Vintage: 2023
| Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | AM101B23 | 6 x 75 | Screwcap | Not Yet Available |
| 2023 | AM101C23 | 6 x 75 | Agglomerated Cork | Available |
Producer
Mark Shannon and his partner Elvezia Sbalchiero, have revolutionised the style and calibre of Primitivo, turning it into one of Puglia’s most talked about grape varieties. They achieved this at A Mano in Salento by paying fair, high prices for the best possible grapes (sourced from 70 to 100-year-old vines) and focusing exclusively on quality while crafting a modern style. As the old saying goes, where you lead, others will follow.
The continued success of A Mano is at least partly attributable to the knowledge that Mark and Elvezia have gleaned from over 18 vintages in Puglia. Not only do they have access to Salento’s best grapes, but their growers have also realised that if they want the higher price paid by A Mano, they need to provide quality to match.
The quality of fruit shines through in A Mano wines. The A Mano Bianco is made from 100% Fiano and displays aromas of ripe pear and orange blossom. The Rosato, made from 100% Primitivo, is fermented at low temperatures to retain the delicate perfume of the variety. The ‘Imprint’ Primitivo Appassito is made in the style of an Amarone and delivers a similarly rich and powerful expression. The rare and ancient red Puglian variety, Susumaniello, was used mostly as a blending component until a few years ago. The name means ‘little donkey’ in the local dialect, referring to the enormous load the vines bear when young. Others argue the name derives from it being stubborn and difficult to manage. The wine is deep, inky purple and full-bodied, with intense aromas of blackberry and violets.
A Mano’s range of ‘Prima Mano’ wines are only produced in excellent vintages. The ‘Prima Mano’ Primitivo is sourced from two ancient vineyards planted on the red sand soils of the Ionian coast; the resulting wine is extremely dark and concentrated, with the spiciness typical of this variety. The ‘Prima Mano’ Negroamaro hails from 70-year-old vines. The wine is beautifully complex, with velvety tannins and notes of rose petals, violets, black cherries, and damask plums.
Vineyards
The grapes for this wine come from winemaker Mark's favourite vineyard on the coast of the Ionian Sea. The climate here is classically Mediterranean and soils are a crumbly, dark reddish-brown and radiate heat back into the vines. The Primitivo vines are quite old; most are the original bush vine plantings after phylloxera, called ‘Alberello’, and range from 70 to 100 years old.
Vintage
The 2023 vintage saw very little rainfall and a very hot summer. This meant extra care was needed in the vineyard to manage the health of the vines. Harvest timing was critical for preserving the freshness of the fruit, and was brought forward to account for the increased speed of ripening due to the hot weather.
Vinification
The Primitivo grapes were fermented for 36 hours without intervention before the free run juice was drawn off and chilled down to 12°C. The cold must was then reintroduced to the warm cap and thoroughly mixed. This complex step was carried to allow the cells in the grape skins to break down from the heat of fermentation and provide colour without alcohol extracting harsh tannins. The reintroduction of the cold must also provides the intense fruitiness of a cold fermentation. After racking, the wine remained in an underground cement tank at a controlled cool temperature until bottling to preserve freshness.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
Deeply coloured and exuberant on the nose, with intense perfumes of red and black fruit such as plum and raspberry, and Mediterranean spices. On the palate it is youthful and full-bodied, with a great balance between ripe, rounded fruit characters and smooth tannins.
Alcohol (ABV)
13%
Acidity
6.55 g/l
Residual Sugar
6.1 g/l
pH
3.64
Other wines from this producer
Producer | Wine | Product Code | Features | Style | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Mano | Bianco' Fiano/Greco | AM102 | W | Factsheet | |
| Primitivo Rosato | AM103 | Ro | Factsheet | ||
| `Prima Mano` Primitivo | AM105 | R | Factsheet | ||
| Negroamaro | AM106 | R | Factsheet | ||
| `Imprint` Primitivo Appassito | AM110 | R | Factsheet | ||
| `Imprint` Susumaniello | AM111 | R | Factsheet | ||
| `Prima Mano` Negroamaro | AM112 | R | Factsheet |