
Primitivo is a red grape that was originally planted in southern Italy, notably in Puglia. The robust and rustic spicy black and fruity notes of Primitivo thrive in the warmest climates, and will achieve extremely high alcohol levels. Most people believe that Pimitivo and Zinfandel is the same grape and actually, they are genetically similar although it took some detective work and DNA fingerprinting to figure that out. Zinfandel and Primitivo are closes of the Croatian grape that is called Crljenak. Cloning is not a bad thing when it comes to grapes and is merely a genetic subtype that occurs naturally or is gently encouraged by the grower. Grapes are more adaptable than people think and can mutate extremely easily. If a grape grow catches a glimpse of a vine that is preferable for berry size, ripening characteristics and cluster formation, it is easy to graft and cut a clone onto an established vine, which is how the Primitivo red grape was created. Although Zinfandel and Primitivo have been considered by most as synonyms, the United States labeling laws does not allow them to be used interchangeably. That is why you will find Zinfandel and Pimitivo blends in the US.
Cortenova Primitivo is made from 100% Primitivo
The grapes are harvested and immediately pressed at controlled temperature. Fermentation is carried out with maceration on the skins for 10-12 days; daily remontages; malolactic fermentation.
Dark, ruby-red color with violet highlights. Intense and fragrant bouquet with a rich array of red and black fruit aromas and flavors. Harmonious and velvety on the palate. Great balance and structure.
Excellent with grilled or roasted meats, game and cheeses.
Review:
-Beverage Tasting Institute 92 Points
Mocavero Primitivo del Salento is 100% Primitivo.
Deep red color with hints of violet, sweet spicy and ripe fruity notes, soft, persistent taste with skilful balanced tannins.
This ancient vine variety requires special attention during vinification to ensure that it expresses all the varietal characteristics, it needs periodic aeration and a particular temperature control. Once maceration is complete, the must is separated from the marc and fermentation ends in stainless steel tanks.Once it has been fermented the wine is refined in american Oak barrels for 3-4 months. When the refining process is complete, the wine is filtered and bottled.
Pairs best with roast meat, wild fowl, cold-cuts and mature cheese.
The 2024 Far Niente Winery Estate Bottled Chardonnay is a white wine from California known for its buttery and complex style, made from Chardonnay grapes grown in the Coombsville region. It features notes of citrus, melon, and pear, with a silky texture and a long, elegant finish that is complemented by hints of spice from oak aging.
Review:
-James Suckling 93 Points
Clos du Val Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 is made from Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Wine
This is Clos du Val's Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon — the house's classically styled, broadly sourced Cabernet drawn from vineyards across the valley floor and surrounding benches. The 2023 is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot. It pours a deep ruby and opens with pure cassis and black cherry lifted by graphite, tobacco leaf, sweet brown spice and a whisper of cured herbs. Medium- to full-bodied and beautifully balanced, it is firm without ever turning hard, with fine-grained tannins, bright acidity and a long, silky, cocoa-dusted finish. A polished, food-friendly Napa Cabernet that drinks wonderfully now and will hold comfortably into the early 2030s — and, at this price, one of the genuine values in classic Napa Valley Cabernet.
Winery Info
Clos du Val was founded in 1972 in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley by French-born winemaker Bernard Portet and American proprietor John Goelet. Portet grew up at Château Lafite-Rothschild, where his father was technical director, and he set out to make Napa wines in a restrained, ageworthy Bordeaux idiom rather than the bigger, riper California style of the day. The bet paid off almost at once: at the legendary 1976 Judgment of Paris, Clos du Val's debut 1972 Cabernet was one of only a handful of California reds chosen to stand against first-growth Bordeaux — and in the celebrated ten-year rematch of that tasting, it finished first of all the wines. More than fifty years on, Clos du Val remains one of Napa's benchmark houses, its wines prized for elegance, balance and a graceful capacity to age. The engraving of the Three Graces on the label is a nod to the harmony the family has always chased in the glass.
Review:
Refined and earth-driven, showing tightly wound black-fruit aromas. The palate is focused and pure with finely tuned tannins and a generous yet precise palate. A lovely wine to drink now or cellar.
James Suckling, 94 Points