Tessuto Salento Primitivo IGP
I was really skeptical about the Cantine due Palme Tessuto Salento Primitivo when I bought it. Any imported wine that costs only 50 TL (give or take $10) likely is only a $5 wine wherever it calls home. Sometimes you have to take a chance though. I was pleased that I did.
Canete due Palme
Cantine Due Palme is a co-op wine company established in 1989. The company began with 15 growers. Today that number has expanded to include 1,000 growers cultivating 2,500 hectares of vine across Brindisi, Lecce, and Taranto. In addition to expanding its grower base, Cante due Palme also merged with four other large wineries: Produttori Agr. in Cellino, Riforma Fondiaria in Cellino, Cantina Sociale Angelini in San Pietro Vernotico, Cantina SanGaetano in Lizzano, and Cantina Riforma Fondiaria in Monteroni Arnesano.
Salento IGP
Established in 1995, the Salent IGP encompasses the provinces of Brindisi, Lecce, and Taranto. There are approximately 10,820 hectares under vine here with production spiking at over 37 million liters. That’s a lot of wine.
Salento, or the Salento Peninsula, sits at the southernmost tip of Puglia. Basically it’s the boot heel. Surrounded on three sides by the sea it extends out between the Adriatic and Ionian seas. A hot, Mediterranean climate, vines find relief from consistent sea breezes, which waft through the vineyards and help keep harmful insects at bay. The soils are predominantly clay, but the area includes a variety of smaller soil types. Calcareous soils, terre rosse, and rocky, mineral-rich soils contributes subtle nuances to the personalities of its wines. While Negroamaro is king in Salento, scores of other grapes have also found a home in the diverse soils here. Including Primitivo.
Cantine due Palme 2013 Tessuto Salento Primitivo IGP Tasting Notes:
The Tessuto Salento Primitivo comes from the Salenti IGP province, Brindisi. In order to conform to IGP rules regarding varietal wines, it contains minimum 85% Primitivo.
The brilliant ruby color gives way to aromas of sweet tobacco, blue and black fruits, and spice. On the palate it has a medium body with 13% abv, silky tannins, soft acid, and a medium finish. Dried fruit, tobacco and tons of spice like black pepper, star anise, and allspice pack a flavorful punch.
In the end, a nice example of how an entry-level wine can still be well-made and utterly enjoyable!