Cantine San Marzano: A winery with the new “classic” way of making wine. Wines that tells of the spirit of local viticulture.
Cantine San Marzano was established in 1962, when 19 vine growers from San Marzano di San Giuseppe, (TA) – Puglia, whose families had farmed the land for generations, joined their forces to establish a Cooperative. Today, it is the leading player on the Apulian wine-making industry, bringing together 1,200 vine growers and over 1,500 hectares of vineyards.
Its President, Francesco Cavallo, has been able to fully appreciate and ride the change in the Apulian wine sector, promoting a real cultural revolution among the members, pursuing the modernization of production facilities and the development of an increasingly qualified, highly-skilled, young workforce.
Cantine San Marzano has played a central role in enhancing the value and profile of Primitivo and in reinterpreting indigenous grape varieties with a contemporary approach, to deliver clean and elegant tastes. It has been able to produce world-class wines – and icon labels – over the years, by combining respect for a thousand-year-long tradition with a drive for continuous research.
An example, among many, Sessantanni Primitivo di Manduria Dop, the result of an intuition of the President, who was determined to create a new wine that could express the authenticity of the Primitivo grape in a new and modern interpretation. The first Sessantanni bottle saw the light in 2003 and is the product of the harvest of 2000.
The idea became reality with the acquisition of a 40-hectare bush-vine vineyard that was over sixty years of age (old vines), and which was eventually renamed as “Valle del Sessantanni” (sixty-year-old valley).
The vineyard is located in the area of Primitivo di Manduria DOP, on fine-textured residual red soil, with a generous calcareous substrate, a few emerging rocks and a high content of iron oxides, giving the earth its typical red hue – a single vineyard that has marked a turning point for the entire area and which, with its unique style, has earned a reputation as a reference standard for Primitivo wines internationally.
The potential in the vineyards is very high and thanks to a modern approach in the winery. They are able to produce wines with a great character but at the same time clean and modern. Research and sustainability are the keywords to get the best possible outcome and to work in a region, Puglia, which suffers from difficult climate conditions that they work hard to turn and exploit in their favour.
The current challenge is producing white wines that are as stunning as reds, for which Puglia is already famous for, and they can proudly say that, as a result of our commitment, many of their whites have been awarded at international and domestic competitions over the last few years. The plans for the future are all in their motto: Wine, Sharing, Beauty. They want to share emotions, beauty and wine with their customers.
Recently, they have joined Asia Import Challenge 2019 and their wines won 3 gold medals and 2 silver medals. Here is the list of wines that won the competition:
Talò Fiano Salento IGP 2018
Awarded Gold Medal by Asia Import News
Talò Verdeca Puglia IGP 2018
Awarded Gold Medal by Asia Import News
Vine variety: Verdeca.
Area: San Marzano, Salento, Puglia. At about 100 m above sea level.
Soil: Shallow and with medium-fine texture.
Farming type: Espalier (4,000 vines per hectare).
Grape harvest: Second half of August.
Vinification: Cold pre-maceration for 6/8 hours, followed by alcoholic fermentation in French oak barriques.
Ageing: In French oak barriques for 3 months with periodic bâtonnage.
Tasting notes: Straw yellow colour with golden hues; the nose reveals surprising aromas of white flowers and vanilla; on the palate it is fresh and mineral, with a good sapid persistence.
Best served with: Seafood, shellfish and boiled fish with light sauces.
Serving temperature: 12-14 °C.
Talò Primitivo Merlot Salento IGP 2017
Awarded Gold Medal by Asia Import News
Vines variety: 50% Primitivo, 50% Merlot.
Area: San Marzano, Salento, Puglia. At about 100 meters above sea level.
Soil: Medium clay texture, shallow and with good skeletal soil.
Farming type: Espalier (4,500 vines per hectare).
Grape harvest: First half of September.
Vinification: Thermo-controlled maceration for about 10 days, followed by alcoholic fermentation with selected yeasts.
Ageing: In French oak barriques for 6 months.
Tasting notes: Deep ruby red colour with garnet streaks, a rich bouquet of ripe red fruit, cherries, soft fruits and some cinnamon notes. A wine with a remarkable structure enriched by a velvety tannic texture and a long endnote with a pleasant aftertaste.
Best served with: Richly flavoured first courses, red meats and game and hard cheese.
Serving temperature: 16-18 °C.
Il Pumo Negroamaro Salento IGP 2018
Awarded Silver Medal by Asia Import News
Vine variety: Negroamaro.
Area: San Marzano, Salento, Puglia. At about 100 meters above sea level.
Soil: Medium clay texture, shallow and with good skeletal soil.
Farming type: Espalier (5,000 vines per hectare).
Grape harvest: Second and third week of September.
Vinification: Thermo-controlled maceration for about 10 days, followed by alcoholic fermentation with selected yeasts.
Ageing: In stainless steel tanks.
Tasting notes: Purple-red colour with black-violet hues; intense and persistent bouquet, with hints of blackcurrant and soft fruits, spicy, with thyme notes; a robust wine, velvety and harmonious with a long and pleasantly flavoured finish.
Best served with: Richly flavoured first courses, all types of meat and mature cheese.
Serving temperature: 16-18 °C.
Tramari Rosé di Primitivo Salento IGP 2018
Awarded Silver Medal by Asia Import News
Vine variety: Primitivo.
Area: San Marzano, Salento, Puglia. At about 100 meters above sea level.
Soil: Medium clay texture, shallow and with good skeletal soil.
Farming type: Espalier (4,500 vines per hectare).
Grape harvest: First week of September.
Vinification: Partial drawing off of the Primitivo grape must after a few hours of maceration, followed by the fermentation process typical of white wines.
Ageing: In stainless steel tanks.
Tasting notes: Soft pink colour; intense and persistent aroma of Mediterranean maquis, with hints of cherry and raspberry; a fresh and elegant wine, balanced in the mouth.
Best served with: Italian antipasti, fish soups and broths, baked or foil-baked fish, young or slightly aged cheese.
Serving temperature: 14 °C.
Aside from these wines, they do have other different variety of wines. Please Click Here to see their different selections of wines.
