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Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $163.95
The 2016 Ampio delle Mortelle needs time to shed some of its considerable power. Red cherry, plum, licorice and dried...
VM
93
WE
93
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Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $155.53
This has a perfumed nose of licorice, blueberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, mocha and dried flowers. Kumquat,...
JS
95
VM
94
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Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $223.04
Case only
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $250.63
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $58.62
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $64.45
The plush texture envelops black cherry, black currant and plum flavors, backed by a strict spine of acidity and...
WS
92
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Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $98.32
This is really dense and structured, yet there’s energy and agility throughout. Full-bodied, yet agile and firm....
JS
94
WS
93
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $76.14
Profound nose here with chili chocolate and sandalwood beneath the sweet blackberry background. A hint of violets,...
JS
96
VM
95
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Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $70.98
Great impact on the nose, black berry fruit, spices, well integrated wood, chocolate and coffee. Soft and round...
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $57.67
Wonderful aromas of Mediterranean flowers such as rosemary and lavender with red fruits such as plums and cherries....
JS
94
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $164.63
The 2005 Isola dei Nuraghi Turriga is incredibly primary at this stage. This dark, textured Turriga reveals...
WA
93
WE
90
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $43.78
Case only
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $43.26
This has aromas of cherry stones, slate, pine cones, lemon peel and oyster shells. Tightly knit, firm tannins here,...
JS
95
WE
92
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $569.95
A new dimension in Etna red that belongs in the highest league of Italian and global wines. Enveloping floral,...
JS
99
WA
94
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Red
1.5Ltr - Case of 3
Bottle: $256.95
An enticing red, with aromas of clove, cardamom, crushed pine and dried tea rose drawing you into the glass, where...
WS
93
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Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $126.95
An enticing red, with aromas of clove, cardamom, crushed pine and dried tea rose drawing you into the glass, where...
WS
93
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $251.95
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $396.79
WS
95
WA
93
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $714.80
Very bright with sweet plums, cherries and some flowers. Clarity in the nose here. Medium-bodied with chewy, fine...
JS
96
WS
94
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Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $251.95
This is a phenomenal, tiny-production red made mostly from colorino and canaiolo grapes. It has an amazing density...
JS
99
WS
93

Italian Red Blends Mencia Primitivo Pre-Arrival

As with many European grape varietals, there is some debate regarding the precise origins of the Primitivo grape. Most people now agree that it probably came from Croatia, where it is still used widely in the production of red wine, and it known as Tribidrag. However, today it is a grape most commonly associated with the powerful red wines of Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot, where the intense sunshine and brisk Mediterranean breezes produce grapes of remarkable character and balance. Primitivo is a dark grape, known for producing intense, inky, highly tannic wines, most notably the naturally sweet Dolce Naturale and the heavy and complex Primitivo di Manduria wines. Primitivo tends to be naturally very high in both tannin and alcohol, making it ideal for both barrel and cellar ageing, which brings out its more rounded and interesting features.


Primitivo is not the easiest grape to grow or manage, and it has had something of a difficult century. Indeed, by the 1990s, there was little interest in Puglian wines in general, and winemakers were neglecting their Primitivo vineyards and looking to other, more commercially viable varietals. However, the last decade has seen this grape come well and truly back into fashion, with new techniques and a heightened interest in native Italian grape varietals bringing Primitivo back into the spotlight. It is now widely loved for its intensity and ability to be paired with strongly flavored foods.