ALCHYMIA Primitivo Duca Di Saragnano 2020 [Barbanera] 75cl

Full Body, Fruity (Primitivo). IGT. 14.5% alc.

Gold medal Mundus Vini; 98/99 Luca Maroni; 98 Annuario dei Migliori Vini Italiani ed. 2022; 99/99 “Best Producer 2020” Luca Maroni; Vivino Community Awards 2021.

Deep, rich red with concentrated notes of plum jam, blackberry and brambles, plus pastry or pie crust and some sweet spices (cinnamon, clove, vanilla). Soft and smooth tannins, with a long finish.

Text found on the background of the label, is from a poem by Paulo Coelho (in 'The Alchemist') that translates to: "One day the Levanter had brought to him the perfume of that woman, and realizing that he had loved her before he even knew she existed. He knew that his love for her would enable him to discover every treasure of the world".

The Primitivo grape of Apulia - popularised in California as Zinfandel - traces its lineage back to the ancient Phoenicians who settled this part of the peninsula. This smooth, low tannin wine is now enjoying long overdue praise for its juicy and well-structured character - ideal for Asian cuisines. 

NB: This wine can sometimes be found with slightly different spellings/labels, for example on Vivino. It can also be found listed under the LINE of Duca Di Saragnano*, as opposed to the ESTATE of Barbanera. See the links below to read more on this wine:

- VIVINO link 1 "Alchymia"

- VIVINO link 2 "Alchimia"

- VIVINO link 3 "D.d.S. Alchymia"

* What’s in a name? In the case of the Barbanera family’s winery they chose to pay respect to a great legend whose descendant became a close friend of Luigi Barbanera (father of Marco and Paolo who now run the estate). The original Duca di Saragnano came from Campania but fled north to Tuscany, around the 10th Century, as foreign invaders took over much of southern Italy. The Duca di Saragnano was remembered as “amongst the bravest and noblest local defenders” of the Italian land, who “fought valiantly” against the aggressors. Centuries later the inheritor of the title ‘Duca di Saragnano’ met the Barbanera family, who had started out in 1938 with home-produced olive oil, cheeses, cured meat and wine, and granted the use of the prestigious name as “a token of his esteem”.

GEEK OUT ON GRAPES:

The Primitivo grape is planted along the 'heel' of Italy - the Apulia region - and its name derives from its tendency to ripen earlier than other grapes.

Its origins are interesting: It was an early grape for winemaking in Croatia (where it's known as Crljenak Kastelanski or Tribidrag) at least as far back as the 15th century. In the 18th century a clone was taken to southern Italy, where it became a popular rustic table wine. In the late 1960s this vigorous vine travelled to the US, where it became known as Zinfandel and thrived in the heat of California. In fact, grape geneticist Carole Meredith, who studied the variety in great detail, refers to it as Zinfandel / Primitivo / Crljenak Kastelanski.

Primitivo is not as challenging a vine as others, like Pinot Nero, but it does tend to ripen unevenly - meaning patches of fruit within one bunch can be close to raisins while others are under ripe. Some winemakers separate the bunches (or even individual grapes) which can add to the cost of production and increase wine pricing, while others prefer to experiment and create wine from fruit with mixed levels of ripeness.

Primitivo vines produce fruit with a high sugar content, which tends to result in wines with high levels of alcohol. Cooler climates can produce Primitivo wines with red berry aromas or flavours, but the Primitivos of southern Italy tend to hint at blackberry and liquorice plus some peppery notes.

Serve this punchy wine with rich tomato dishes, such as lasagne. Try it with a steak alongside a slightly sweet sauce or relish, or with barbeque food like sticky chicken wings. It also pairs well with spicy sweet dishes, such as coconut-based curries and also Moroccan style lamb.