Rich Primitivo made from organic grapes with deep notes of mulberry, dark chocolate and tobacco. Winner of Italy’s most prestigious Tre Bicchieri award

I was really captivated by this complex Primitivo.  It combines deep flavours of mulberry, dark chocolate and Amsterdam pipe tobacco, underpinned by a touch of vanilla and smoke. It’s no surprise that this vintage has won the Tre Bicchieri award. To me, that’s an important sign of high quality: out of 40,000 Italian wines that enter the competition each year, only five hundred qualify for Three Glasses. Because of that, we knew Carvinea’s Primitivo would be an ideal addition to our collection. And, if you like Primitivo, this one is definitely worth trying.

The vineyards of Carvinea are planted around the small town of Carovigno, where the castle of Dentice di Frasso dominates the skyline. The building dates back to the Norman times, and the ancient square-shaped tower – “Castellum Carvinei” – is mentioned in a 1163 parchment. The vineyards are in the north of the Salento winemaking area, which is home to Italy’s best Primitivo and Negroamaro wines. If you take strada provinciale 16, in about forty minutes you’ll be in Brindisi – the ancient gateway to the Roman Empire.

Winemaking: grapes for this opulent Primitivo wine are harvested by hand in the second half of September. In the winery, grapes are crushed, and then fermented on their skins in stainless steel tanks for twenty days. After that, the wine matures in new French oak barrels, where it picks up notes of smoke, spice and vanilla. The wine spends the rest of its ageing time in bottle. During this long period the flavours integrate, the wine develops complex aromas and finally reaches its full potential.

Tasting notes: Carvinea’s Primitivo has a deep ruby colour. On the nose, it has pronounced aromas of mulberry, black plum, fresh black cherry, and violet flower, enveloped by notes of smoke, vanilla, Amsterdam pipe tobacco, dark chocolate and fig. The wine is dry, and well-balanced. Tannins are present, but they’re elegant and soft rather than strong and coarse. This wine has a high level of alcohol and a full body. It’s packed with bold flavours of black cherry, mulberry, spices, vanilla, tobacco and dark chocolate, leading to a long finish. A complex and well-balanced wine that is always a pleasure to drink.

Awards: Gambero Rosso 2020 – Three Glasses (2017 vintage) | The WineHunter – Gold (2018 vintage)