San Marzano Negroamaro Salento “F” Puglia IGP 2019

San Marzano is a small town in the centre of the Primitivo di Manduria DOP, a strip of land between the seas that wash over the Puglia region. It was here that 19 winegrowers founded Cantine San Marzano in the year 1962. Originally the winegrowers worked as a vineyard cooperative without much market ambitions.

It wasn’t until 1996, the commitment and dedication of the members allowed the purchase of a modern bottling plant. The first bottles came out of the cellar, triggering the transition from commodity to brand. From bulk economy to a direct relationship with the end consumer. This is also a testimony to the viticulture transition in Puglia, gradually growers became discontent to be restrained as bulk wine providers.

And Negroamaro Salento “F” Puglia is the flagship product, that San Marzano dedicates toward the grape variety Negroamaro. One of most important black skinned grape variety in Puglia, alongside with Primitivo and Montepulciano.

The fruits that are used to make this wine are sourced from the vineyards of Contrada Monte La Conca, between San Marzano and Francavilla Fontana. It doesn’t fall in any existing DOC appellation, thus it is categorized as PGI by laws, even though this wine has uncompromising quality.  Local soils of Contrada Monte La Conca are finely textured residual red soil with a calcareous subsoil, sparse rocky outcrops and intense presence of iron oxides. All vines are head trained bush vines with density of 4500 vines per hectare. Such training requires intense manual labour to manage and harvest.

The vintage of 2019 was harvest in the last week of September.

The grapes are harvested manually with small baskets. Total maceration time including the fermentation varies,  80% of the mass are being macerated for a total of 18 days, but the rest of 20% up to 25 days. The process fully extracts flavours and tannin. The fermentation took place entirely with native yeasts selected in the vineyard. Fermentation temperature is strictly controlled at 24-26 °C, to best preserve its aroma. Once vinification completes, the ageing takes place in both French and Caucasian oak barrique for 12 months.

“We searched long and hard among the oldest Negramaro vineyards of Salento for the perfect grapes to express the soul of this noble vine. We selected only three vineyards and “F” is the name we chose to give them. “F” as in Feudi di San Marzano. A part of our history, this letter has become a mark of quality for Negramaro, a symbol of our passion for this ancient and challenging grape.” 

Score: 98/100 by Luca Maroni, wine critic.