Cantele Primitivo del Salento 2023

The Cantele (cahn-teh-lay) family originally hailed from Veneto, but Paolo Cantele's grandfather emigrated to Puglia and founded this family estate in 1979. We met Paolo here in Spring Lake when he visited the Bottle Shop for the first time, and tasted through the Cantele wines. We were impressed by the complexity, consistency and value across the board. Made from very old vines, up to 65 years in age, this Primitivo is aged for 6 months in older barriques. Another interesting fact he shared with us is that Cantele adds even less sulfites than allowed by the legal organic limit. The estate is not organic, per se, but the vineyards are farmed as sustainably as possible. It helps that 80% of his family's vineyards are on the Adriatic Coast side of Puglia, giving the benefit of NW winds which keep the vines breezy and not too hot. This is simply an extraordinary value for a very high quality red wine. Look for an intense, spicy bouquet with notes of sour cherry and plum. Full-bodied in the mouth with a velvety warmth and gentle tannins. Ideal with game, roasted or braised meat and hard, aged cheeses.