Primitivo di Manduria Villa Santera Leone de Castris 2023

100% Primitivo, straight from the heart of Salento. Leone de Castris decided to harvest the grapes after a very short period of overripening, which allows the typical aromatic components of the grape variety to concentrate in the bunches at their fullest intensity! The refinement and aromatic depth of Primitivo are all there: from cherries to plums, with a sweet note reminiscent of sour cherries, followed by spicy hints of ginger, licorice, and vanilla. On the palate, it is generous, certainly not lacking in structure and smoothness. And the alcohol content is quite bold. Contains sulphites. Produced by Leone de Castris - Via Senatore de Castris - 73015, Salice Salentino (LE) - Italy.

THE REVIEW OF PRIMITIVO DI MANDURIA D.O.C. VILLA SANTERA BY LUCA STROPPA

The producer

The Leone de Castris cellars were founded in 1665 and run by Duke Oronzo Arcangelo Maria Francesco Count of Lesmos. Since this date members of the Castris family have shown various interests: some became involved with the cellars and with wine, while others became cardinals or generals in the national guard, and some still became senators of the Italian Kingdom. The cellar began bottling its products in 1925 and became the first wine cellar in Italy to put a rosé on the market. Today Piernicola Leone de Castris continues the family wine-making tradition with love and enthusiasm. The land is particularly appropriate for the production of vines, vines well suited to the climate and of a fine quality, grapes perfectly mature and appropriate for wine-making and ageing. These are the secrets, which have led to many years success and to many of the characteristics of this wine.

Best with

Above all, this wine goes very well with strongly flavoured meat and spicy cheeses.

How to serve it

It is recommended to open the bottle at least an hour before serving and decant the wine into a large carafe so that it has a chance to air and its rotundity can be appreciated in full. The wine should be served at 18 degrees centigrade in clear, transparent crystal goblets.

How to keep

This is a wine that can be aged for a very long time, over twenty years if it is kept in the right conditions. The bottles should be laid horizontally in a cool, dark, humid wine-cellar.