Primitivo di Manduria "Pepe Nero" Vinicola Cicella

Vinicola Cicella’s Primitivo di Manduria “Pepe Nero” is a red wine fermented and aged exclusively in stainless steel, with the aim of fully expressing the warm, Mediterranean character of Puglia and of the grape itself. It is made entirely from Primitivo, the iconic variety of the Manduria area. These grapes offer rich aromatic nuances of ripe red fruit on the nose, while the palate is dense and well defined, satisfying with its remarkable structure and elegance. 
Vinicola Cicella is a very young winery, born from the desire of two brothers, Cosimo and Michele, to share the incredible potential of Primitivo and the other native varieties. Their philosophy is to vinify only grapes from their own land: “Pepe Nero” comes from vineyards in Contrada “Pepe” in the municipality of Maruggio, a small village on the Ionian coast near Manduria. The soils of the plot are rich in clay and minerals, especially iron, which gives them their red colour, an ideal combination for growing vines, which here are bush-trained (alberello) according to local tradition, resulting in low yields of around 50 quintals of grapes per hectare. 
After the harvest, the bunches are destemmed and the grapes undergo fermentation on the skins with selected yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. After 12 months of ageing in stainless steel tanks, the Primitivo di Manduria “Pepe Nero” is ready for release. Ruby red with violet highlights, it has a warm, weighty entry on the palate, with great body and solid structure; the tannins are unquestionably elegant and enveloping, and the finish is long and satisfying. The nose is caressed by hints of strawberry and berries that leave a lasting, pleasant impression.
It is the perfect match for pasta dishes such as pasta with ragù, roast meats, game, spicy food and hard cheeses.