Producer Spotlight - Produttori di Manduria
Right down in the fertile heel of Italy you’ll find the province of Puglia which nowadays is a pretty popular holiday destination. As well as this, for centuries, it’s also been a major wine-producing area.
It’s fair to say this part of the country doesn’t have the prestige wines of Piedmont, or Tuscany in the north, but there’s one grape variety in particular – Primitivo - for which, in recent years, it has carved out for itself a growing reputation. Small growers proliferate in these parts which means that cooperatives, who take their produce, are some of the major wine producers. And it’s the cooperative based in the town of Manduria on which our spotlight falls this month.
Pioneers of Primitivo
While it’s now quite a familiar varietal name on a bottle, for much of its history Primitivo’s main use was to bulk up blends. However, ever since they were founded in 1932, with just 17 growers, Produttori di Manduria have been champions of Primitivo and have been fighting its corner for long before it attained its current popularity and profile.
1974 marked a big step forward when the DOC ‘Primitivo di Manduria’ was created which acknowledged the potential of the area’s wines although it was still a few decades before varietal Primitivo would become fashionable. Today the cooperative has over 400 members who, between them, cultivate more than 2,000 hectares of vines making them Manduria’s main winery. Also, being keen to spread the Primitivo message, they have a museum at the winery charting the region’s viticultural history.
A snapshot of the wines
Headlining our range is, naturally, one of their Primitivos. Lirica is an unashamedly big wine, but it’s certainly not a bruiser being round and textured on the palate with a pleasing freshness about it.
It’s aged for about 6 months in oak which gives it sweet, mild tannins and just a hint of savouriness on the finish. The prestigious Gambero Rosso guide recently classed it as their ‘best value southern Italian red’. Primitivo can also make quite impressive rosé also as can be seen in their ‘Aka’ Rosato. In contrast to the delicately coloured Provençal style rosés which are all the rage this is boldly coloured and quite full flavoured, so if you prefer your rosé with a bit more punch this is one to go for. To complete the set the white ‘Zìn’ which is made from Fiano, one of southern Italy’s signature whites, is ripe and zesty and a perfect seafood accompaniment.
All these wines are great ambassadors for Manduria and say a lot about the quality that comes from this increasingly well thought of part of Italy.
Get 10% Off all Produttori di Manduria Wines by using code PRODUTTORI at checkout
It’s fair to say this part of the country doesn’t have the prestige wines of Piedmont, or Tuscany in the north, but there’s one grape variety in particular – Primitivo - for which, in recent years, it has carved out for itself a growing reputation. Small growers proliferate in these parts which means that cooperatives, who take their produce, are some of the major wine producers. And it’s the cooperative based in the town of Manduria on which our spotlight falls this month.
Pioneers of Primitivo
While it’s now quite a familiar varietal name on a bottle, for much of its history Primitivo’s main use was to bulk up blends. However, ever since they were founded in 1932, with just 17 growers, Produttori di Manduria have been champions of Primitivo and have been fighting its corner for long before it attained its current popularity and profile.
1974 marked a big step forward when the DOC ‘Primitivo di Manduria’ was created which acknowledged the potential of the area’s wines although it was still a few decades before varietal Primitivo would become fashionable. Today the cooperative has over 400 members who, between them, cultivate more than 2,000 hectares of vines making them Manduria’s main winery. Also, being keen to spread the Primitivo message, they have a museum at the winery charting the region’s viticultural history.
A snapshot of the wines
Headlining our range is, naturally, one of their Primitivos. Lirica is an unashamedly big wine, but it’s certainly not a bruiser being round and textured on the palate with a pleasing freshness about it.
It’s aged for about 6 months in oak which gives it sweet, mild tannins and just a hint of savouriness on the finish. The prestigious Gambero Rosso guide recently classed it as their ‘best value southern Italian red’. Primitivo can also make quite impressive rosé also as can be seen in their ‘Aka’ Rosato. In contrast to the delicately coloured Provençal style rosés which are all the rage this is boldly coloured and quite full flavoured, so if you prefer your rosé with a bit more punch this is one to go for. To complete the set the white ‘Zìn’ which is made from Fiano, one of southern Italy’s signature whites, is ripe and zesty and a perfect seafood accompaniment.
All these wines are great ambassadors for Manduria and say a lot about the quality that comes from this increasingly well thought of part of Italy.
Valid until Sunday 31st March
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