San Marzano Vindoro Negroamaro 2017
The Vindoro Negroamaro has to be one of the best Italian red wines I have ever had the luxury of drinking. Instantly recognisable by the heavy bottle this is a beast of a wine that has amazing elegance and finesse. The flavours are bold and refined and full of spice, jammy and soft fruit characters. I recommend decanting this wine for an hour before serving to really let the aromas develop so the wine can show its true potential.
In the heart of d.o.p. Primitivo di Manduria and Mediterranean terroir, Cantine San Marzano has settled in Apulia, Italy. The cantine was established in 1962 by 19 vine growers whose families had farmed the area for generations. It has evolved with the years while maintaining its loyalty to traditional Apulian winemaking. Now the co-operative consists of over 1000 winegrowers of the Puglia region. San Marzano wines are elegant and offer a wide variation of appeal, from red to white to rosé, sparkling and not. Prior to 2013, they were known as Lucarelli, but they have since rebranded and become a world-renowned name in winemaking with many awards. They have won wine awards in China and Japan as well as in Italy, both nationally and internationally.
Tasting Note - Very deep purple-red, wide and complex bouquet with notes of spices, soft fruit and cherry jam. A full-bodied wine, soft and balanced, rich in fine tannins, with a pleasantly long-lasting finish.
Vineyard note - The Negroamaro grapes are grown at premium vineyards which are located between San Marzano and Francavilla Fontana. These vineyards enjoy high temperatures all year round, with very little rainfall and a wide temperature range between day and night This has a huge impact on the quality of the fruit produced.
Soil - The soil of these selected vineyards is mostly terra rossa, with a fine texture and a generally calcerous underground with a few emerging rocks. The well-known redness of this soil is due to the high presence of iron oxide which also benefits the final flavours of this red wine.
Viticulture - The harvest took place during the last week of September. Grapes were hand-harvested in small baskets, to preserve the quality of the fruit.
Vinification - Maceration for 18 days on 80% of the must, 25 days on the remaining 20%. Thermo-controlled alcoholic fermentation with autochthonous yeasts at 24C. The wine was then aged in French and Caucasian oak barrels for 12 months.
Grapes - Negroamaro 100%
Food match - The Vindoro Negroamaro from San Marzano is ideal with savoury first courses, red meat, game and pecorino cheese.
Awards - Decanter World Wine Awards, Commended, 2015; International Wine & Spirit Challenge, Silver, 2015; International Wine Challenge, Bronze, 2015; Sommelier Wine Awards, Silver, 2015; The WineMerchant, Winner Top 100, 2015
Additional resources - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negroamaro
