Masseria Altemura
Primitivo di Manduria Sasseo 2023
| Denomination | DOC Primitivo di Manduria |
|---|---|
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 14.0% by volume |
| Area | Apulia (Italy) |
| Grape varieties | 100% Primitivo |
| Aging | Aged for 12 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, followed by 6 months in bottle. |
- Name and origin: Primitivo di Manduria DOC, Salento (Brindisi), Italy
- Packaging format: set consisting of 3 bottles of 0.75 l each (total 2.25 l)
- Alcohol content and style: 14.5% vol, intense and velvety red with delicate tannins
- Vinification: steel at 26°C, 12 months in Slavonian oak and 6 months in bottle
- Aromas and pairings: plum, blackberry and sweet spices; excellent at 16-18°C with grilled dishes and cheeses
Description
What kind of wine it is
Sasseo Primitivo di Manduria by Masseria Altemura is a structured red wine, an authentic expression of Primitivo grapes grown in the heart of Apulia. On the palate, it reveals an enveloping and dense profile, enriched by elegant aromas of blackberry, ripe plum and sweet spices such as cocoa and cinnamon. The flavour profile is supported by soft tannins and a well-balanced mineral tension, which perfectly balances the natural richness of the fruit. This red pairs ideally with grilled meats, rich braised dishes and mature cheeses, enhancing dishes with bold flavours.
Where it comes from
The grapes destined for this Primitivo di Manduria grow in vineyards located between Torre Santa Susanna and Oria, on the Salento peninsula. The soils in this area are composed of the typical Salento red earth, enriched by a strong presence of limestone and stony outcrops that give the wine its very name. The maritime Mediterranean climate, tempered by constant breezes from the Ionian and Adriatic Seas, ensures a gradual and optimal ripening of the grapes. These unique environmental conditions give Masseria Altemura’s production a deep aromatic concentration and a distinct mineral character.
How it is produced
The harvest takes place during the first week of September, waiting for a slight over-ripening of the grapes to intensify the aromatic profile. In the winery, the grapes undergo gentle destemming and crushing, followed by fermentation in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature. The subsequent ageing lasts twelve months in large Slavonian oak barrels, an essential step to integrate the spicy nuances without overpowering the original character of the fruit. A further final resting period completes the process, giving Sasseo Primitivo di Manduria a velvety texture and a long-lasting finish.
History and Curiosities
Created to express a strong personality, Sasseo owes its name to the limestone stone that emerges from the red Salento soil. Produced by the Masseria Altemura estate, restored in full respect of local architecture, this Primitivo di Manduria DOC encapsulates the essence of the marine microclimate between the Ionian and Adriatic seas. The grapes, harvested in early September when slightly overripe, give the wine a dense and velvety body that earned it 88 points from James Suckling. A glass that beautifully combines Apulian character with an elegance of international appeal.
Awards
-
2023
4Italian Sommelier Foundation (FIS) guide This has been one of the most prestigious wine guides in Italy for over 10 years.
-
2023
88/100
James Suckling is an influential American wine critic and journalist who worked at Wine Spectator for 30 years. He left the magazine in 2010 to start his own website and guidebook (JamesSuckling.com). He specialises in Italian and Bordeaux wines.
Tasting notes
Perfume
Color
Taste
Serve at:
16 - 18 °C
Longevity:
05 - 10 years
Decanting time:
1 hour
- Start up year: 2000
- Oenologist: Antonio Cavallo
- Bottles produced: 600.000
- Hectares: 130
There thus began a long period of planning followed by one of actual refurbishment, involving the land and the buildings that now represent the heart of the estate’s headquarters. The total area of the property is over 270 hectares – of which 130 are vineyards and 40 consist of olive groves – thus ensuring substantial annual production. It is a single holding, restored with total respect for the environment and the original architecture. As in the time of the Counts Martini Carissimo, it now represents one of the flagship estates in Puglian agriculture.
The architectural intervention on the buildings respected the original plan; nothing was left to chance, starting with the materials employed: the limestone paving stones, the calcarenite, the tufa and the white stone from the surrounding area, used in ancient times for the construction of the main buildings, were utilized in making the new ones.
Particular care was reserved for the restoration of two constructions that are of historical importance for the area: the massive tower, which will be transformed into luxurious accommodation for guests of the estate, and a private chapel with frescoes that date from the 16th century.
On land where there once grew ancient bush-trained vines, tended and cared for according to the lore of age-old rural tradition - and where the bunches of grapes ripened day after day, caressed by the sun and by gentle breezes - new rows of the best indigenous grape varieties have been planted since the year 2000, in line with entirely environmentally sustainable guidelines.
Alongside the perfectly geometrically aligned vines there are 40 hectares of centuries-old olive trees which, with their roots burrowing deep into the red earth mixed with white blocks of calcareous origin and their silvery-green foliage bending in the wind, continue even today to bear fruit. Read more
| Name | Masseria Altemura Primitivo di Manduria Sasseo 2023 |
|---|---|
| Type | Red still |
| Denomination | Primitivo di Manduria DOC |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Size | 0,75 l |
| Alcohol content | 14.0% by volume |
| Grape varieties | 100% Primitivo |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Apulia |
| Vendor | Masseria Altemura |
| Story | History and Curiosities Created to express a strong personality, Sasseo owes its name to the limestone stone that emerges from the red Salento soil. Produced by the Masseria Altemura estate, restored in full respect of local architecture, this Primitivo di Manduria DOC encapsulates the essence of the marine microclimate between the Ionian and Adriatic seas. The grapes, harvested in early September when slightly overripe, give the wine a dense and velvety body that earned it 88 points from James Suckling. A glass that beautifully combines Apulian character with an elegance of international appeal. |
| Origin | Torre Santa Susanna and Oria, province of Brindisi, Salento (Apulia), Italy |
| Climate | Clima mediterraneo marittimo |
| Soil composition | Limestone-rich and stony soils of the Salento red earth |
| Harvest | First week of September |
| Fermentation temperature | 26 °C |
| Production technique | Destemming and gentle crushing; fermentation in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature (26 °C); maturation for 12 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, followed by 6 months in the bottle. |
| Wine making | The grapes are gently crushed and destemmed; the must ferments in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature (average temperature 26 °C). |
| Aging | Aged for 12 months in large Slavonian oak barrels, followed by 6 months in bottle. |
| Total acidity | 5.7 gr/L |
| Residual sugar | 7.7 gr/L |
| Allergens | Contains sulphites |