Primitivo, 2019. Cantele

The Cantele estate is a third-generation family-owned and run winery founded by the current generation's grandparents, immigrants from the north who settled in Puglia after WWII. The winery is known for its pioneering work with Chardonnay and its passion for native grapes. The narrow Salento peninsula, wherein the vineyards are located, is renowned for high-quality wine thanks to abundant ventilation, temperate weather, extreme diurnal shifts in summer, and limestone-rich soils. Over the last two decades, Cantele has implemented a cutting-edge "minimal intervention" system in its vineyards, thus ensuring freshness and varietal expression throughout their wines. Primitivo is known for being very dark, juicy, and high in alcohol, on account of how quickly the grapes ripen, with lower acidity levels. Cantele became a Salento Primitivo pioneer when it first released this wine more than a decade ago. Vinified in stainless steel and aged in oak, this lithe expression of Puglia's most famous grape offers elegant red fruit flavors without ever overwhelming the palate.

This wine is deep garnet in color in the glass. You will find notes of raspberry, tobacco, and chocolate on the nose, followed by supple tannins and blackberry, plum and blackcurrant notes on the palate. Cantele Primitivo is a versatile wine at the dinner table, its juiciness will pair wonderfully with a variety of foods- Italian and international. It is great paired with pulled pork in tangy BBQ sauce, ribs, steaks, or anything else with a lot of flavors and a little char. Wood fired pizza would also work well as a pairing with this wine. For a more vegetable focused meal, pair this wine with eggplant Parmesan.

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