La Pruina Vini Primitivo di Manduria DOC 2024, 0,75 l

Primitivo di Manduria is just the thing if you fancy a red wine that doesn’t demand too much attention. This wine comes from the well-known DOP region around Manduria – one of the areas that have made Primitivo so famous in Apulia. Plenty of sunshine, red soil, limestone and the full vigour of the south – you could hardly get a more authentic taste of Italy in a glass.

La Pruina uses 100 per cent Primitivo here. This suits the style perfectly, as the grape variety is synonymous with warmth, dark fruit, richness and a soft, approachable character. At 14% ABV, this red wine also packs the necessary punch, whilst remaining firmly within that Primitivo range that so many love: rich, inviting and wonderfully uncomplicated, perfect for when you fancy something a little more robust at the table.

The terroir plays a key role here. The grapes come from the Primitivo di Manduria DOP region in the provinces of Taranto and Brindisi. There, the vines grow in very red, iron-rich soils over limestone bedrock. It sounds technical, but ultimately it tastes, above all, of the south: of a wine that doesn’t set out to be cool and austere, but rather comes to the glass open, round and a real pleasure to drink.

This Primitivo pairs particularly well with hearty pasta dishes, carpaccio, grilled meat, cheese and salumi. In other words, with anything that offers a bit of spice, roasted flavours or a hearty accompaniment. A plate of pasta with ragù, antipasti with matured cheese or an evening by the barbecue – that’s exactly where this Manduria feels at home.

And yes, the rating is impressive too: in Luca Maroni’s *Annuario dei Migliori Vini Italiani 2026*, this Primitivo is awarded 97 points. For us, though, that’s just the icing on the cake. The real reason why this wine is so exciting lies much closer to home: it brings that full-bodied, warm Apulian character to the glass, which is simply a joy to experience.