This Primitivo di Manduria has gained a reputation, not just for its 4.2 rating on Vivino but also for being among Vivino’s the top 25 Southern Italy Primitivo wines in the United Kingdom at the time of writing this review.
A previous 2019 vintage was a Bronze IWC winner. Decanter’s review of previous vintages, which scored an 89, described it as inky dark in the glass with bags of ripe, fleshy fruit flavour, think black cherries and salted plums, velvety, rich and fruit-forward.
The 2021 vintage is full-bodied and aromatic. It’s not as tannic as you might expect, which can be either good or bad depending on your palate. The nose is of red fruits, perhaps strawberries. It’s a little on the sweet side which might not be to everyone’s liking. It’s sweet rather than fruity, as evidenced by its 1000 specific gravity, placing it on the border of off-dry to medium. However, I guess this sweetness will likely appeal to a broad audience.
You can find this wine at Waitrose. Initially priced at £11.99, I obtained for for £8.99, thanks to a 25% off offer. While the offer has since ended, this wine has seen a reduction in price to £8.99 as at the time of writing this review. At this price point, it’s worth a try and offers good value for money.
