Attanasio Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale 2017

Cellar for up to 14 years. No need to decant before serving. Primitivio thrives in the hot, arid conditions of Italy’s southern Salento region and it is the flagship grape of most of the region’s boutique wineries like Attanasio in Manduria. The estate was founded in 2000 by Giuseppe Attanasio whose involvement with winemaking goes back more than six decades. Today he works 8 hectares of prime vineyards and produces just 15,000 bottles per year in total due to the harsh climate and tiny yields of his bush vines. Attanasio harvests all his grapes by hand to ensure they arrive at the winery in excellent condition and the wines are matured in his cellars beneath the estate’s 19th century palace. His Dolce Naturale is a sweet dessert wine expression of the Primitivo grape which is crafted from 40 year old vines and matured in oak for 12 months. Attanasio produces just 2000 bottles per year of this distinctive wine which pairs beautifully with chocolate, fruity desserts, and hard cheeses. On the nose there are intense hints of jammy dark berries, dark chocolate and cigar box. The first sip reveals a silky and creamy texture with plenty of sweetness and rich dark plum and cherry flavours which linger long on the tongue.

Price: £25.46 from 8wines UK