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Red
750ml
Bottle: $14.94 $15.63
12 bottles: $14.85
The term "Maru" translates into dark or severe and correctly describes some of the characteristics of Puglia's native...
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $12.48 $13.87
Broad, ripe black fruit and spice aromas, with notes of pepper, toasty vanilla and Mediterranean scrub. On the...
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Dessert/Fortified Wine
375ml
Bottle: $39.90 $42.04
12 bottles: $39.10
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $9.94
12 bottles: $8.94
Notes of ripe plums, cherry jam and tobacco characterize the bouquet of this pure varietal Primitivo from the Apulia...
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $11.34 $12.13
100% Negroamaro, one of the most representative red grapes of Salento, is known for producing wines that are rich,...
Red
750ml
Bottle: $25.94
12 bottles: $25.42
This is a surprisingly bright and herbal Pinotage, with an intense floral, garrigue to the bouquet and a distinct,...
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Red
750ml - Case of 12
Bottle: $12.76
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Red
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $68.40
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $70.80
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $76.94
Undergoing a four-week maceration followed by approximately nine months in French oak (50% new), Es is intoxicating:...
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96
Red
750ml
Bottle: $133.60
Gianfranco Fino has rightfully entered the range of those winegrowers tied to traditions wishing to save old...
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $62.40
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Dessert/Fortified Wine
375ml
Bottle: $35.75 $36.40
12 bottles: $35.04
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Dessert/Fortified Wine
375ml
Bottle: $87.94 $97.79
Amazing depth of colour and outstanding red berry flavours, particularly strawberry, lend this red Icewine to pair...
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Dessert/Fortified Wine
375ml
Bottle: $70.99 $76.94
This is a glorious icewine where acidity and sugar are in perfect harmony. The candied orange peel, ginger, straw and...
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WE
96
WS
94
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Dessert/Fortified Wine
375ml
Bottle: $66.94 $74.20
The 2019 Gold Vidal Icewine was fermented and aged for about 14 weeks in 90% new French oak. It comes in with 272...
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WA
94
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Dessert/Fortified Wine
375ml
Bottle: $58.90 $60.00
6 bottles: $58.20
Vidal is a hybrid (Ugni Blanc and Seibel) that has a thick skin suitable for harvesting late in the season. It is the...
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $12.44 $13.17
Nicely spicy on the nose, to complement the range of red and purple fruit. Mocha and dried herbs, too. Medium-bodied,...
JS
92
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Red
750ml
Bottle: $39.94
12 bottles: $39.14
A rich and spicy pinotage that shows notes of cedar, spice box, cumin, vanilla and chocolate cherries. Full-bodied,...
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JS
93
WS
91

Ice Wine Negroamaro Pinotage Primitivo

One of the key grapes of the ever-growing Puglia wine industry is the Negroamaro, a native grape of this southern Italian region, famed for its deep, bloody red color and excellent set of flavors Indeed, many of the finest and most highly esteemed full bodied red wines of Puglia are made using the Negroamaro varietal grape, and it is grown most notably in the Salento area of the region, where it makes several types of red wine enjoyed locally and sold overseas. The name 'Negroamaro' means 'black-bitter', giving some clue as to one of the key features of the grape. Wines made with Negroamaro do indeed hold quite a lot of earthy bitterness, but generally are celebrated for their 'rustic' taste and extremely aromatic qualities.

Pinotage is the signature grape varietal of South Africa, and is the most widely grown grape in the country, as well as being common in several other countries around the world. It is a viticultural cross of two fine grape varietals, the Pinot Noir and the Cinsaut (known as Hermitage in South Africa, hence the portmanteau name), and is notable for the fact that it produces excellent and flavorful wines of a deep red color The flavors most commonly associated with Pinotage wines are generally smoky in nature, with notes ranging from dark bramble fruits, to plum, mulberry and earthy characteristics. However, it often also includes quite tropical flavors of stewed banana. The Pinotage varietal is a versatile one, and is often used for producing fortified and sparkling wines, as well as the more common still red wines.

As with many European grape varietals, there is some debate regarding the precise origins of the Primitivo grape. Most people now agree that it probably came from Croatia, where it is still used widely in the production of red wine, and it known as Tribidrag. However, today it is a grape most commonly associated with the powerful red wines of Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot, where the intense sunshine and brisk Mediterranean breezes produce grapes of remarkable character and balance. Primitivo is a dark grape, known for producing intense, inky, highly tannic wines, most notably the naturally sweet Dolce Naturale and the heavy and complex Primitivo di Manduria wines. Primitivo tends to be naturally very high in both tannin and alcohol, making it ideal for both barrel and cellar ageing, which brings out its more rounded and interesting features.


Primitivo is not the easiest grape to grow or manage, and it has had something of a difficult century. Indeed, by the 1990s, there was little interest in Puglian wines in general, and winemakers were neglecting their Primitivo vineyards and looking to other, more commercially viable varietals. However, the last decade has seen this grape come well and truly back into fashion, with new techniques and a heightened interest in native Italian grape varietals bringing Primitivo back into the spotlight. It is now widely loved for its intensity and ability to be paired with strongly flavored foods.