Primitivo del Salento Classica IGT, Cantele

Happy New Year to everyone!  I hope the new year's festivities haven't turned you off wine, because we have a review of a good value red from peanutman to start off the year.

— Peanutman’s Review —

I've discovered in 2009 two different types of grapes that I really like, one being the Petit Verdot and the other the Primitivo. I'd rate this one the same as the Farnese (which is no longer available), but I would say this one was a little better. It had a spicy, flowery and cherry smell. It was an easy drinking wine, with a little spiciness to it and just enough tannins not to be overpowering. Nice wine to drink by itself.

Price $15.49
Value: 4.5/5
Score: 88
UPC: 8009015033425

A-mano Primitivo 2007

While this wine doesn't sound so good, the burnt rubber taste sounds interesting. Google revealed that there has been a recent major controversy about a burnt rubber taste in South African wines. In the end (spoiler alert) it seems the taste isn't confined to South Africa - it is probably a sulfur compound formed as a result of poor winemaking.

--- Iron Chef's Review ---

I had this wine many moons ago from the SAQ and really liked it, I was happy to see it at ANBL under a new screw cap.
Nose: Leafy notes- like tobacco. Hot berries in syrup, blueberries I think. Some resiny wood also.
Taste: Blueberry pie with vanilla ice cream. Gravely tannins. Some stemmy notes. And something that I didn't care for, it took me an hour to figure it out- Rubber bands or burnt rubber. I dislike that taste in wines. Not sure of the cause, but I will avoid it.
Overall, it was a disappointment; I would not buy this again. Rubber bands are not something I look for in a wine.

Price: $17.99
Score: 70
Value: 1/5
Region: Southern Italy- Puglia
Alochol: 13.5%
UPC: 726452003771

Farnese Primitivo 2006

And it's peanutman to the rescue! A reply to yesterday's call for help!

--- peanutman's review ---

I got a bottle of Farnese Primitivo last week from a neighbour. I knew this wasn't one of those big Italian monsters, but my wife and I were pleasantly surprised. Norman informed me that this was the same grape as Zinfandel which I have also never tried. I thought the Primitivo was a little spicy and probably also a little sweet as it decanted. The second day we had it with Roast Beef and we both thought it was a good match. Warning: we are not wine and food matchers and usually prefer our wine after or before supper therefore we could be way off on the match. There was just enough fruit taste and character that it wasn't bland. For some reason, and while they are not similar, this wine reminded me of the Cono Sur Pinot Noir. A bottle of wine that is not expensive but that has enough character that you would probably want to buy it again. For $11.49, we both thought it was a very good deal, 4.5 on 5 and I would give it an 87.

Retail Price: $11.49
Score: 87
Value: 4.5/5
Region: Italy
Grape: Primitivo
UPC: 8019873924100

Farnese Edizione Cinque Autoctoni 2004

I wrote up this review before I realized that I'd already reviewed this wine. (Yes, I'm getting to the age that Kelly knows never to start a sentence with the word "remember...") It's a bit repetitious of the earlier post - which I think is a good thing. At least I'm consistent. But since I've written this review, I might as well use it. Here it is...

Farnese made its name with very inexpensive Sangiovese, so most people might hesitate before shelling out more than $40 for a Farnese wine - but this is undoubtedly a very well made distinctly Italian wine. the "Cinque Autoctoni" refers to the five native Italian grapes used to make the wine - Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Primitivo, Malvasia Nera, and Negroamaro. The blend works very well. It has a certain full lushness that I associate particularly with Italian wine. While it is lush, it is not at all a fruit bomb - the flavours are more on the chocolate end of the spectrum.

Here is Kelly's note:

"The first thing that strikes me is coffee on the nose. I don't often detect coffee, or even mocha, so this is interesting to me. Coffee, plum, berries, spruce on the nose, then very smooth and spicy on palate, with just a hint of apparent sweetness (I say "apparent" because I know it's not really sweet) and a fine edge of underlying tannins. Lush, but just a bit on the reserved (in a way that I tend to associate with cool climate, although I'm not sure I'm right about that). Very long. Nicely balanced. There was a lot of wrong guessing and mockery involved in this tasting."

At this price I can't give this wine top marks for value, but it is reasonable value at the price and it is quite different and worth buying for that reason - or at least the '04 was. We tried the currently available 2006 "number" at the Wine Expo. Unfortunately, we didn't find it to be nearly as good. It seemed to be a much more generic "international" fruit bomb style. Perfectly good, but nothing special, especially at the price. I don't want to judge too harshly on a single glass, especially from the Wine Expo atmosphere - I'd love to hear from someone else who has tried the '06.

Incidentally, Wine Spectator also gave the 2004 at 90. The '06 hasn't been rated.

Price: $43.78
Score: 90
Value: 3/5
Region: Italy (southern)
Grapes: Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Primitivo, Malvasia Nera, and Negroamaro
Tasted: Jan 2009
UPC: 8019873924407

Tormaresca Torcicoda 2004

This wine is 100% Primitivo (not Aglianico, as the ANBL website says), from the Salento IGT (the heel of the Italian boot). It has delightfully aromatic nose of caramel and toasted marshmallows. Unfortunatelythe palate doesn't follow through on what was promised by the nose; it is clean but short, without a lot of interest.

Price: $26.79
Value: 3/5
Score: 87
Alcohol: 14%
Tasted: Oct 2008
ANBL UPC: 8026530000176

Feudi di San Marzano Primitivo di Manduria Sessantanni Old Vines 2004

This is one of the worst wines I have had that is not technically flawed. I am glad I had it because I think I now truly understand what is means for a wine to be over-extracted. It is slightly sweet, inky purple and 'big', without fruit, complexity or character, or anything else that makes a wine worth drinking. This is not just a style issue - I like a decent Australian shiraz as well as anyone. I rate this wine below 80 because I have had many slightly corked wines which I prefer.

Price: Approx. $34
Value: 1/5
Score: 78
Tasted: May 2008
ANBL UPC: Carried by PEILCC