Primitivo

Primitivo is a dark-skinned grape known for producing inky, tannic wines, particularly Primitivo di Manduria and its naturally sweet Dolce Naturale variant. Although there have been contentious and long-running debates about the variety’s geographical origins, there is little question that Primitivo’s modern-day home is in southern Italy, particularly Puglia.

A classic Primitivo wine is high in both alcohol and tannins, intensely flavored and deeply colored. In Manduria, the fortified liquoroso variants often reach an ABV of 18 percent, which is dulled to 14 percent in the table wines. A certain bitterness is often found in Primitivo which, combined with its mouth-puckering tannins, means that it often needs a few years in either bottle or barrel.