San Marzano Anniversario 62 Primitivo di Manduria Riserva 2020 is a rich, full-bodied Italian red wine from Puglia, made from carefully selected Primitivo grapes grown in old vineyards around San Marzano and Sava. Deeply concentrated and velvety in texture, it offers layers of ripe black cherry, prunes, chocolate and warm spice, followed by a long finish of cocoa, coffee and vanilla. Eighteen months of maturation in French and American oak barrels adds further depth and complexity to this generous expression of Primitivo.
 
The wine takes its name from 1962, the year nineteen local growers came together to establish Cantine San Marzano. What began as a small cooperative has grown into a producer representing more than 1,200 winegrowers, combining the traditions of southern Italian viticulture with modern winemaking techniques. Anniversario 62 reflects this heritage through a more concentrated, oak-matured style of Primitivo di Manduria.
 
The grapes are sourced from old bush vines in the heart of the Primitivo di Manduria DOP growing area. These vineyards are planted at a density of approximately 5,000 vines per hectare, on fine-textured, predominantly calcareous red soils coloured by naturally occurring iron oxides. Puglia's hot, dry climate encourages full ripeness, while differences between daytime and nighttime temperatures help the grapes develop concentrated flavours. Harvesting takes place by hand during the second half of September, with fruit selected at an advanced stage of ripeness.
Following careful selection, the grapes undergo temperature-controlled fermentation at 24–26°C for approximately 15 days. Malolactic conversion takes place in stainless-steel vats before the wine is transferred to French and American oak barrels for 18 months of maturation. This extended ageing contributes to the wine's rounded texture and complex notes of spice, tobacco, cocoa and vanilla, complementing its concentrated dark fruit character.
 
Anniversario 62 is a substantial, richly flavoured Primitivo with a smooth, velvety palate and a lingering finish. Its combination of ripe fruit, oak complexity and generous structure makes it particularly well suited to slow-cooked meats, hearty Italian dishes and occasions when a fuller-bodied red wine is called for.
 
Tasting Notes
 
Nose: Ripe prunes, black cherry and chocolate-covered cherries, complemented by spice, tobacco and fresh herbal notes.
Palate: Full-bodied and richly concentrated, with flavours of black cherry jam, prunes and warm spice. Smooth and velvety in texture, with layered dark fruit and oak-influenced complexity.
Finish: Long and complex, with lingering notes of cocoa, coffee and vanilla bean.