The Primitivo grape variety and its wines: history, characteristics and pairings

Widespread throughout much of Southern Italy, it is above all in Apulia that the Primitivo grape variety has given rise to its best-known and most important declinations, which over time have become representative of the region itself. Primitivo wine is a product with ancient origins and irresistible organoleptic characteristics, which - in its young, aged or sweet versions - is perfectly suited to those who love the liveliest examples of Italian oenology. Here's everything you need to know!

Southern Italy in the chalice: history and spread of the Primitivo grape variety

There was a time, along the line of history, when the Primitivo grape variety made its very first appearance in Apulia, perhaps by the Illyrians. This Balkan population was part of the large group of cultures that over the centuries influenced the heel of the Peninsula, so exposed to trade. Another - less probable - theory attributes the importation of the vine to Venetian merchants.

Its spread throughout the Mediterranean area is also ancient, having come about thanks to the commercial activities of the Phoenicians. It was thus that Primitivo was quite successful outside Apulia as well, while within the region it spread a bit everywhere, undermining attempts by the Greeks to massively cultivate their own grape varieties, ancestors of Aglianico.

The name Primitivo (from the Latin premativus) was officially born in the 18th century. It was the ecclesiastic don Francesco Filippo Indellicati, from Gioia del Colle, who gave it the name because of its early ripening. 

An important turning point in the history of Primitivo in Apulia occurred when it spread particularly to Lizzano, Manduria, Maruggio and Sava following a wedding. When Tommaso Schiavoni-Tafuri of Manduria got married to Countess Sabini of Altamura, the latter brought as part of her dowry some vine shoots.

It was then the terroir that did the rest, giving the plants the right environmental conditions to thrive.

That of Primitivo wines is therefore a real hegemony, which also involves foreign countries. It is in fact one of the most exported Italian wines of recent years. The reason lies in its bewitching characteristics and versatility, since it is a product suitable both for lovers of young, easy-drinking wines and for those who appreciate a product with greater organoleptic complexity, which Primitivo achieves through long ageing.

Primitivo grape variety: terroir and appellations of its wines

Spread over a vast area of the Peninsula (not only Apulia, but also Umbria, Latium, Molise, Campania, Abruzzo, Basilicata and Sardinia), Primitivo takes on different characteristics depending on the terroir in which its main appellations of origin are produced:

• Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale DOCG: Wines of this denomination are produced between Taranto and Brindisi, particularly in the coastal area of Apulia, and come from Primitivo grapes that have been dried. They therefore have a high sugar content.
• Primitivo di Manduria DOC: dry Apulian red wine produced in the area of the same name in the provinces of Taranto and Brindisi.
• Primitivo Gioia del Colle DOC: produced in the area of the same name in the metropolitan city of Bari, a very favourable area for the cultivation of the vine.
• Primitivo Colline Joniche Tarantine DOC: this recently introduced Apulian DOC concentrates its production in several municipalities in the province of Taranto, reaching as far as the border with Basilicata.
• Gravina DOC: includes wines - red and white - produced in the hilly area of Gravina, in Apulia, a municipality located in the Metropolitan City of Bari. Some of its reds are produced with a part of Primitivo.
• Cilento DOC: some of these wines - produced in Campania, in the province of Salerno - are made using a percentage of Primitivo, up to a maximum of 20%.
• Primitivo Falerno del Massico DOC: this Campanian type of Primitivo is produced in the north of the region, in the province of Caserta.
• Primitivo di Matera DOC: declination of the Basilicata region, produced throughout the province of the same name.

Given the numerous denominations of Primitivo wines, it is therefore not possible to describe a single terroir, as its production areas are varied. The Apulian declinations, however, are the most famous and relevant from an oenological point of view, not only because of their antiquity, but also because of their excellent organoleptic yield.

Primitivo di Manduria, for example, is produced in an area - the Ionic Arc and the Salento Peninsula - characterised by a Mediterranean climate. Winters tend to be mild and rainy, while summers have high temperatures, with an average of 25°-26°C. Humidity is more concentrated in the Salento peninsula area, where summers are sultrier and winters colder. The soil is mainly composed of limestone and clay relief.

The Gioia del Colle DOC area has calcareous soils rich in minerals and potassium, with a good presence of clay and silt. The cultivations are located on heights between 200 and 450 metres above sea level.

Rainfall is more abundant in autumn and winter, while summers tend to be dry and hot.
The Primitivo DOC Colline Joniche Tarantine growing areas are characterised by aMediterranean climate, with rainfall concentrated between autumn and early spring, hot and dry summers and fairly mild winters, with occasional snowfall. The soils are mainly clay-loamy, with a presence of limestone in some areas.

Characteristics of Primitivo wine and food pairings

There are many ways to describe a wine. One can list the characteristics of the grapes from which it derives, or talk about its organoleptic notes. Tasting, however, is always the best teacher, which is why throwing yourself headlong into food and Primitivo wine pairings is the right way to get to know the varieties of this product.

A good place to start is with Primitivo di Manduria DOC in its dry version, a wine that expresses an aromatic strength that leaves you speechless. On the one hand, the aromas of ripe fruit conquer the nose with their softness, on the other the senses are captivated by balsamic, toasted and spicy tones reminiscent of leather, which are accentuated in the long ageing versions. On the palate, the red fruit notes and spicy aftertaste return.

Primitivo is at its best when paired with the most representative dishes of Apulian cuisine, such as the tasty Pugliese bombette, a platter of cured meats and cheeses (including the regional Caciocavallo), taralli, panzerotti and orecchiette alle cime di rapa, or - in general - with full-bodied first courses, such as a steaming plate of lasagna alla bolognese or fettuccine al ragù. Its versatility also allows it to accompany dishes from other culinary traditions, such as spicy ethnic recipes.

In Salento, again in Apulia, Primitivo can also be found in a rosé version, with delicate results that do not betray the authentic soul of the grape variety. 

The bright pink colour gives way to floral and fruity scents, with hints of red fruits, while in the mouth it is mineral, persistent and refreshing, characteristics that lend themselves well to seafood dishes, from fried foods to soups, from first courses to main courses.

For all those who instead desire a good wine for the end of the meal, to accompany desserts and dry pastries (but also blue cheeses), this Italian red wine continues to offer beautiful surprises, with its Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale DOCG version, characterised by an intense ruby red colour, tending towards garnet. The intense and heady aromas seem to anticipate its sugary soul, tickling the nose with hints of ripe fruit, while the palate arrives velvety and suave.

Now that you know all about Primitivo, it's time to try it. Discover it in the extensive Svinando catalogue!