Cantina Boccantino, Primitivo, 2024, Salento (IGT)

'One-Liner'
Rich, sun-drenched Primitivo from Salento – blackberries, ripe plum and sweet spice wrapped in velvety tannins and a touch of vanilla.

Tasting Note
Deep ruby red in the glass, with generous aromas of ripe blackberry, plum and dark cherry alongside sweet spice and subtle vanilla. The palate is full and rounded, with concentrated dark fruit given extra richness by the gentle drying of the grapes on the vine. Soft, ripe tannins provide structure without taking away from the wine’s easy-going generosity. Six months in French oak adds touches of spice and vanilla while allowing the fruit to remain firmly at the centre. Rich, smooth and warming on the finish, with dark berries, dried fruit and gentle spice lingering behind.

Country: Italy
Region: Puglia
Sub-Region: Salento IGT
Grape(s): 100% Primitivo
ABV: 14%
Friendly: n/a

Awards & Critics' Scores
Luca Maroni – 98/100

The Story
Boccantino leans into the warmth and generosity that have made Primitivo one of Puglia’s best-loved grapes. The vines are traditionally trained using the low bush-vine alberello system, developed over generations to cope with southern Italy’s intense sunshine and limited rainfall. The 2024 is harvested by hand, with the grapes allowed to lose a little moisture naturally on the vine under the influence of Salento’s warm climate and sea breezes, concentrating their flavour before vinification. Around six months in French oak then rounds out the naturally rich fruit and soft tannins, producing a deeply flavoured but approachable red that feels unmistakably southern Italian.

Perfect With... (click me for the recipe)
- Meat/fish: Venison loin with blackberry, juniper and red wine sauce
- Vegetarian: Orecchiette with roasted aubergine, tomato, basil and ricotta salata
- Vegan: Caponata with crusty bread