Primivito? Zinfandel?
During
the 197Os, the California wine trade touted Zinfandel as its
very own grape variety while it was quietly aware that its
origin lay somewhere else. In the last few years,
researchers have discovered that not only has this variety
had a longer commercial history in Italy where it is called
Primitivo, but also that its genetic homeland is most likely
Croatia. There the vine variety, Crljenak Kastelanski,
genetically identical, is planted in small quantities along
the Dalmatian coastline. Though California, by the vastness
of its Zinfandel plantation and by the force of its
marketing power and know-how has virtually appropriated the
commercial identity of the variety, we should not discount
the Primitivo wine industry in Italy as being a source of
interesting Zinfandel-like wines.
In the 17OOs, a
variety called “Primitiva” is known to have been grown in
the vicinity of the town of Gioia del Colle in south-central
Apulia. The variety was probably given that name because the
Latin word “primus” means first and Primitivo is a very
precocious variety. It is early at all stages of its
physiologic development compared to other vine varieties. At
the end of the 18OOs, use of the variety spread southeast to
the province of Taranto on the Salento peninsula, which can
be easily visualized as the heel of Italy’s boot. I suspect
that the phylloxera infestation which occurred during the
late 18OOs played a role in this migration. Because
Primitivo buds so early, it is susceptible to spring frost.
Gioia del Colle is a hilly, rocky area several hundred
meters above sea level. This position makes it susceptible
to spring frost. The province of Taranto is a flat plain
under the strong climatic influence of the Adriatic and
Ionian Seas. It is spring-frost free. In the 2Oth century,
the vicinity of the town of Manduria, in the province of
Taranto, became the primary locus of the variety. Another
important province on the Salento peninsula noted for wine
is that of Brindisi. Brindisi’s primary focus has been on
another vine variety, Negroamaro, which is native to Apulia.
Primitivo examples produced from Brindisi grapes are
generally lighter in body and less extracted than those from
Taranto.
Primitivo played
an important role in the Apulian bulk wine market which
became important during the 197Os, 198Os and early 199Os.
Primitivo’s thin grapeskin makes it susceptible to mold, and
the mature berries ripen unevenly. A more important
positive, however, is the variety’s tendency to develop high
levels of sugar at moderate acidity levels. Primitivo wines,
therefore, are very alcoholic, which makes it very useful
for blending with weaker wines. Primitivo di Manduria DOC
regulations specify a minimum alcohol of 14%, a fact which
suggests that it is easy to make high octane Primitivos.
When the bulk market began to collapse in the mid-199Os,
producers considered Primitivo as a candidate for quality
wine production because it characteristically balances its
alcohol and acidity with a pleasant, solid, astringent
texture. The presence of many old-vine vineyards gave
producers ample sources of quality grapes. In the last five
years, Primitivo wines have become somewhat faddish in
Apulia and in Italy.
After
phylloxera, the seaside province of Caserta in Campania also
became the locus of plantings of Primitivo. Creeping
urbanization has paved over many of those vineyards.
However, one estate, Michele Moio, makes a high quality
example, called Mandragone, bottled under the DOC Falerno.
Primitivo, therefore, has potential in locations near the
sea throughout Southern Italy. However, sites which are too
greatly influenced by the Mediterranean have such an early
commencement of gestation that harvesting occurs during the
fiery hot month of August. Such harvesting conditions lead
to overripe tastes because the heat burns up components that
are precursors for fruity smells and also desiccates the
grapes creating compounds that lead to dried fruit smells
such as raisin, prune and date. The climate of the Salento
peninsula, in general, and that of Manduria, in particular,
are so dominated by the effect of the Adriatic and Ionian
Seas that it is nearly impossible to make fruity Zinfandels
the like of which can be produced in various locations in
California. Recently, however, I sampled two 2OO4 Primitivos
di Gioia, one from the Cantina del Locorotondo and another
from Accademia dei Racemi, that showed enough fruitiness and
elegance to set them apart from all the other Salento
examples I had tasted during my recent visit to the
area.
Profiles
of producers I visited in Apulia
and
my tasting notes of their Primitivos
ACADEMIA
dei RACEMI is an
organization of vinegrowers, agronomists and enologists on
the Salento peninsula whose passion is to promote the
production of quality wines which respect their locality.
Though most of their work has featured Primitivo in the zone
of Manduria on the Salento Peninsula, they also make wines
from other local varieties, such as Negroamaro and Malvasia
Nera, as well as occasionally taking up the international
gauntlet. They select the interesting vineyards and set up
contracts with them which gives them viticultural,
enological and international marketing assistance. The wines
are marketed under both the Accademia dei Racemi name and
the name of the farm. The Accademia dei Racemi team has done
much work pairing soil types with Primitivo, finding
vineyards which have old vines, experimenting with new
methods of vinification Primitivo, and making the market
connection between Primitivo and Zinfandel. Gregory Perucci
directs Accademia dei Racemi with the assistance of his wife
Elisabetta and agronomist Salvatore Mero. The name “Racemi”
refers to a second harvest that occurs about 2O days after
the primary harvest. This harvest, which naturally is
strongly perfumed and has high acidity with lower alcohol
content, can be fermented and used to adjust the wine from
the primary harvest.
|
Pervini, Pervini, Az. Az. Tenuta Masseria |
|
BOTROMAGNO |
|
Primitivo |
|
CANTELE, |
|
Primitivo, “Amativo”, |
|
CANTORE |
|
“Donna |
|
CASTELLO |
|
Primitivo, “Artas”, |
|
CONSORZIO |
|
“Memoria”, “Lirica”, “Elegia”, “Madrigale”, |
|
OGNISSOLE |
|
2OO3 |
|
LOCOROTONDO |
|
Terre |
|
ROSA |
|
Il |
|
TORMARESCA |
|
Torcicoda, |
|
I |
|
Primitivo, |
