Primitivo di Manduria DOP 'Sessantanni' 2019 (750 ml.) San Marzano

THE WINE

The Primitivo di Manduria 'Sessantanni' by San Marzano is the iconic wine of the winery, reflecting its philosophy and work ethic. It is the label that has changed the perception of Apulian wines worldwide. It originates in the Sessantanni valley, about 40 hectares between San Marzano and Sava (TA) from Primitivo saplings that are at least 60 years old, cultivated on iron-rich red soil. Harvested in a state of slight over-ripeness, it ages in French and American oak barrels for 12 months. This wine is broad and complex, fruity with notes of plums, cherry jam, light spiciness, and tobacco. It has a great body, soft and rich in noble tannins, with a finish that delivers notes of cocoa, coffee, and vanilla. Excellent paired with red meats, game, and hearty first courses.

THE COMPANY

Cantine San Marzano is one of the most important winemaking realities in the Apulian wine scene that has significantly contributed to its rebirth and enhancement over the last few decades. It was founded in 1962 by 19 winemakers who aimed to unite their efforts to face the challenge of a wine world that was beginning to acquire an important role within the agricultural and economic landscape of the region. Today, the cooperative has over 1200 members and a vineyard area of about 1500 hectares, cultivated in the inland of Taranto, in the heart of the wonderful Salento territory.

San Marzano finds its origins in two values: respect and modernity. Respect for a tradition that has ancient roots and is brought to life today in the gaze, hands, and work of the winemakers who are part of it. Modernity for that idea of wine that is widespread and convivial, always open to new languages and different worlds, which is linked to a clear stylistic signature, made of elegance and tasting clarity. This perspective is perfectly framed by the choice to focus mainly on enhancing old bush-trained vineyards with Primitivo, used for Primitivo di Manduria, and Negroamaro, without forgetting minor varieties such as Malvasia Nera from Salento, Verdeca, or international grapes that have adapted very well in Apulia, such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot. The suitable lands and the sunny, well-ventilated Mediterranean climate, thanks to the sea breezes surrounding the Apulian peninsula, create the ideal conditions for the perfect ripening of grapes with particularly rich and intense aromatic profiles.

The vineyard is the true center of the project, to the point that all San Marzano wines are born from excellent quality grapes, which in the modern winery are vinified with extreme care to preserve the best varietal characteristics and always highlight the authentic flavor of the sunny and generous Apulian land. The range of wines is very broad and articulated in different collections. The ability to rely on a vast number of plots also allows for the selection of the best vineyards, with the oldest vines, to create labels of particular prestige, which have been part of the small circle of the best wines in the region for years. The Sessantanni Primitivo di Manduria is the most representative label of the way of thinking and working of San Marzano: a red that has completely changed the perception of Apulian wines in international markets. It was born from the intuition of President Cavallo, determined to create a wine capable of enhancing the original authenticity of Primitivo in a novel and modern way, thus transforming it into a benchmark for the type at the international level.