Another strong example of Puglia’s distinctly diverse terroirs was presented to me during Radici del Sud in a second vertical tasting organised by Franco Ziliani (see also that of Duca Guarini's Malìa Malvasia Nera). This time it was Primitivo that hit the spotlight in the form of eight vintages of the well-known Fatalone. ‘Can Primitivo age?’ Filippo Petrera (pictured), owner of the estate, asked us, the assembled press. With eight vintages in front of us, the answer was most likely to be ‘yes’, but the rhetorical question made sense.
Although Primitivo is Puglia’s signature grape variety, the wines are...