A Mano, Negroamaro
Vintage: 2024
| Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | AM106B24 | 6 x 75 | Natural 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
Negroamaro grapes for this wine are grown in a single vineyard covering 11 hectares, in the heart of Salice Salentino. The old vineyard is planted on sandy soils and is dry farmed. The vines are trained on trellises to prevent the sensitive grapes suffering from sunburn, and are between 30 and 60 years old.
Vintage
Following a hot and exceptionally dry growing season, the 2024 vintage in Puglia produced one of the earliest harvests on record with lower-than-average yields. The weather extremes required expert vineyard management to mitigate water stress and heat, though dry conditions minimised fungal disease pressure and ensured impeccable grape health. Despite reduced quantity, the concentrated fruit delivered very good to excellent quality, yielding wines with exceptional aromatic intensity and structure.
Vinification
Upon arrival at the cellars, the grapes were pressed, destemmed and cooled to 18°C, and the must was allowed to ferment at its own pace. After racking in mid-November, the wine remained in an underground cement tank where the temperature did not exceed 10°C until bottling.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
This wine is deep ruby red in colour. The nose opens with crushed black berries, cherries and spices followed by a light floral note. Full and rich, this wine is also sleek and elegant, with lingering spiciness on the palate.
Alcohol (ABV)
13.5%
Acidity
6.1 g/l
Residual Sugar
3.22 g/l
pH
3.6
Other wines from this producer
Producer | Wine | Product Code | Features | Style | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Mano | Primitivo di Puglia | AM101 | R | ||
| Bianco' Fiano/Greco | AM102 | W | Factsheet | ||
| Primitivo Rosato | AM103 | Ro | Factsheet | ||
| `Prima Mano` Primitivo | AM105 | R | Factsheet | ||
| `Imprint` Primitivo Appassito | AM110 | R | Factsheet | ||
| `Imprint` Susumaniello | AM111 | R | Factsheet | ||
| `Prima Mano` Negroamaro | AM112 | R | Factsheet |