· Southern Italy

Puglia

Primitivo doesn’t have to be heavy.

Puglia is hot, sunny and surrounded by sea — conditions that can produce generous, ripe wines.

Primitivo is one of its best-known grapes and is often associated with richness and power.

Our current bottle from Cristiano Guttarolo shows another possibility: pick earlier, keep the extraction gentle, and Primitivo can be fresh, floral and surprisingly light on its feet.

Puglia in 30 seconds

THE GRAPES

Primitivo leads the conversation.

Primitivo is one of Puglia’s signature red grapes, alongside Negroamaro and other southern varieties.

White grapes including Verdeca and Trebbiano also have a place here.

THE PLACE

Sun, limestone and dry southern landscapes.

Puglia forms the heel of Italy, with strong Mediterranean influence and long, warm growing seasons.

Our current grower is based around Gioia del Colle, inland from Bari.

IN THE GLASS

Warm climate doesn’t automatically mean heavy wine.

Harvest date, vineyard and winemaking can change the result completely.

Our starting point in Puglia

Gioia del Colle

Cristiano Guttarolo took over his grandfather’s farm in 2004 and has become closely associated with low-intervention wine in Gioia del Colle.

He works with local and southern Italian grapes including Primitivo, Negroamaro, Susumaniello, Verdeca and Trebbiano, often using amphora in the cellar.

Our current bottle is Miro.

100% Primitivo from a one-hectare bush-vine plot, harvested early, given less than a week on the skins and then rested for 18 months in stainless steel.

The result is exactly why we picked it: Primitivo, but fresh.

Cristiano Guttarolo

Puglia at the Hong Kong table

Fresh Primitivo

Char siu, grilled pork, tomato pasta, pizza, roast vegetables and casual BBQ.

Serve it slightly cool and forget the idea that every Primitivo needs to be big.

Meet the growers

Cristiano Guttarolo

Cristiano Guttarolo makes Puglian wine high on the limestone of the Murge Plateau. Sea breezes and cool evenings around Gioia del Colle give his Primitivo and other local grapes a fresher side.