Primitivo : The Godfather of American Wine

On the boot of Italy’s heel lies the rustic region of Apulia, home to the wine known as Primitivo. Primitivo, which is produced in 16 different wine regions within Apulia, is made from the Primitivo grape, a grape surrounded by mystery and legend.

Primitivo is rumored to gets its name from the Italian word primo, meaning first, because the Primitivo vine was the world’s first grape vine. Wine made from the Primitivo grape is also rumored to have been served at the Last Supper. While these are difficult claims to prove, they certainly add to the mystique of the wine.

What is known about Primitivo is that it came to Apulia from ancient Greece. Apulia, as with other parts of Southern Italy, was populated with Greek colonists in ancient times. Among the many aspects of Greek culture that the colonists brought with them was winemaking and the Primitivo grape was their preferred grape to grow in the harsh Pugliese sun.

Around the 17th Century, Benedictine monks began to call this grape Primitivo in reference to its primitive nature. This was not an insult. The monks called the grape primitive because wine made from the grape was the first wine available for consumption. To this day, Primitivo wine is known as a wine best consumed young, within 5 years of its vintage.

Although Primitivo is the fifth most produced wine in all of Italy, it was not highly regarded and was frequently shipped to other areas to be blended with better regarded wines. This all began to change in the 1990s, thanks to the California wine industry’s critical success in making wine from zinfandel grapes.

Zinfandel, which had been produced in California for over 100 years, was a mystery. As no grape vine is native to American soil, the question about how Zinfandel got here burned through the wine community. DNA researchers at the University of California finally solved the mystery when they proved that the zinfandel grape and the primitive grape are identical twins. The vine was transported from Apulia to America some time in the 18th or 19th century.

Suddenly, Primitivo was transformed from a grape that produced mediocre wine to a grape whose potential had not yet been reached. Savvy farmers in Apulia began cultivating their Primitivo grapes more meticulously, harvesting smaller but higher quality crops. The wines that have emerged are some of the most fragrant, rewarding wines you will find.

Although Primitivo grapes can be grown anywhere, only wines made from Primitivo grapes grown in the 16 recognized Primitivo wine regions can be called Primitivo wine. A true, quality glass of Primitivo should be deep red in color, bordering on black. Almost opaque, a glass of Primitivo is very viscous and will have a lighter shade around the rim.

The aroma of Primitivo is bold and you will pick up ripe blackberries and red berries as well as a hint of anise and oak.

On the palate, the first flavor one experiences is typically that of ripe, juicy blackberries. One may also experience hints of tobacco, chocolate, anise and wild cherries. Primitivo wine has a lengthy finish that features powerful tannins and hints of anise or even figs.

Amazingly, a wine this historic and this complex retails very cheaply. A good bottle of Primitivo wine can cost anywhere from $9 to $18, which makes it a fantastic bargain for such a bold, dynamic wine.

Prosecco - The Italian Sparkling White Wine

Wine is meant to be enjoyed and few wines are more enjoyable during these hot summer months than Prosecco. Italy’s answer to Champagne, Prosecco is a sparkling white wine that has just recently burst upon the American wine scene. Like any trend, there are some producers of Prosecco who have capitalized on the sudden popularity of the wine and mass produce garbage and peddle it to the market. Don’t let that deter you from drinking Prosecco. A little knowledge is all you need to uncover a world of delightful, affordable Italian sparkling wines.

Italian wines are traditionally named after the region where they are produced. Just as we refer to tomatoes grown in South Jersey as “Jersey Tomatoes”, so to do the Italians refer to their wines by the location of their farm. However Prosecco is a little different.

Prosecco is the name of the white grape variety that produces Prosecco wine. Under European law, only wines made from Prosecco grapes grown in the Conegliano or Valdobbiadene region of Veneto can be sold as Prosecco. That doesn’t mean that some unscrupulous producers don’t cheat and mislabel their product. So, when shopping for Prosecco, look for the words “Prosecco di Conegliano – Valdobbiadene”, “Prosecco di Conegliano” or “Prosecco di Valdobbiadene” on the label.

By buying only Prosecco wines that are labeled as being from these regions, you are greatly improving the odds of purchasing an enjoyable sparkling white wine. Although it should be noted that wine is a living, natural creation and as such, there are no guarantees. So don’t let one bad bottle of wine spoil your attitude towards that wine.

Now that we have successfully navigated our way through the Prosecco aisle at the local liquor store and avoided buying poorly made wine masquerading as Prosecco, it’s time to enjoy the quality bottle of wine you have purchased. One of the best ways to enjoy wine is to know what you are drinking. So, before you open that bottle of Prosecco made in the Conegliano or Valdobbiadene region of Veneto, let me tell you a little about this delicious, refreshing, sparkling wine.

Prosecco, unlike Champage, is young and fresh. Best consumed within the first three years of production, Prosecco is dry and sparkling and very vibrant. There is no “dusty bitterness” that often accompanies Champagne. In fact, some Prosecco even tastes sweet and even a dry Prosecco has overtones of lemon, melon, almonds or honey.

In Venice, Prosecco is served strictly as an appertivo to be consumed before dinner in order to awaken your taste buds. It was in Venice that Prosecco was first combined with fresh peach juice to create the Bellini cocktail, the signature drink of the Venetians. Due to the popularity of the Bellini, many other Prosecco based cocktails have been invented. The Puccini features Prosecco wine and the juice of fresh tangerines. The Mimosa features Prosecco wine and the juice of fresh blood oranges. The Sgroppino features Prosecco wine, vodka and lemon sorbetto.

For the record, it should be noted that the original Prosecco cocktail, the Bellini was invented at Harry’s Bar in Venice and was named after a Renaissance painter, not the opera composer. Giuseppe Cipriani, the head bartender at Harry’s, saw the pinkish color of the cocktail and was reminded of a toga in a painting by Giovanni Bellini. This cocktail, and the bar that invented it, was popular with such luminaries as Ernest Hemingway, Sinclair Lewis and Orson Wells.

Although Prosecco based cocktails are extremely popular, don’t limit yourself to just Posecco cocktails. While Prosecco is great for mixing, it is made for sipping on its own, accompanying seafood or antipasto or as an appertivo. Now that you know what to look for when you shop and what to taste for when you drink, the time has come to actually enjoy your wine. After all, that’s what wine is there for!