Feudo Croce Imperio LXXIV Primitivo di Manduria 2016 | Zinfandel Lovers Dream Value

Feudo Croce Imperio LXXIV Primitivo di Manduria 2016 presents a rustic medium-garnet hue. Aromas of red fruit, Morrocan spices, and crushed pink peppercorn. Do you love spicey wines? This is it for a song! Black plum, currant and fig paste are laced with brown spices and licorice. Dense and rich at the core with a mineral-driven linear finish tinged with black tea and black olives. Hard-core Zinfandel enthusiast will get warm and fuzzy over this Southern Italian staple. Perfect with braised lamb shank.

Puglia | Primitivo | Zinfandel

What Burgundy is to Pinot and Chardonnay, what Mosel is to Riesling—that’s what Puglia is to Primitivo, the close genetic cousin of Zinfandel that thrives in the volcanic soils of this southern Italian region.  While the wines that Primitivo yields are plush, ripe, fantastic with many foods, and outstanding on their own. The Feudo Croce “Imperio” LXXIV Primitivo di Manduria is raised in the vineyards of Manduria, the only Italian wine region to specialize in Primitivo.

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So DNA testing has revealed that Italy’s Primitivo and California’s Zinfandel are both genetically identical to that ancient Croatian variety, a fact that has inspired lovers of Zin to cozy up to Primitivo. While that international interest has, in turn, elevated the quality of Italian Primitivo.

Luca Maroni | Italian Wine Authority | 96 Points

Feudo Croce Imperio LXXIV Primitivo di Manduria 2016 impressed Italian wine authority Luca Maroni to the tune of 96 points.  Which is even better than it sounds, considering that Maroni’s scale maxes out at 99-points! We recommend a long decant because this wine is a late bloomer. While timid when just opened, but positively bursting with ripe red fruits, spice notes, a note of balsamic, and cocoa after a few hours of aeration.

So needless to say, Zinfandel fans are the big winners here. While Puglia represents Primitivo’s Old World home, and Manduria is the only Italian region that specializes in the grape. Here in the western part of the Salento peninsula (the front of Italy’s bootheel), Adriatic and Ionian breezes cool the vines.  Which, down in this baking part of Italy, receive all the sunshine they can handle. Most of all, the result is a wine of richness with a refreshing bolt of energy.  While this is a wine for all seasons.  A case of Feudo Croce Imperio LXXIV Primitivo di Manduria 2016 will be your winter warmer.  And it will transition beautifully to grilling season—if you pace yourself.