2013 Guttarolo ‘Violet’ Rosato

Region: Puglia < Italy
Grapes: Primitivo
Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Organic farming, karst soil, 400m elevation, fermented in stainless steel, no SO2 added
Winemaker: Cristiano Guttarolo

Far from the plains of Puglia which often produce hot, flabby wines, here vines sit on a plateau of fossilized limestone 400 meters above sea level. It is cooler than usual in the daytime thanks to a stiff wind from the sea, while the site’s elevation ensures the wide range of temperatures between day and night that allows the grapes to ripen fully while retaining freshness.  The wines are clearly Pugliese, full of wild, sun-drenched fruit, but they have a balance and minerality often missing in the region’s wines. Vineyard work is excellent, organic and done entirely by hand, and Cristiano avoids the use of additives entirely. He makes this rosato from a second picking of Primitivo grapes.  It was a particularly long harvest so he left the grapes on vine to continue to grow and ripen. Fermentation was all done in stainless and was quick (12 hours) at a fairly high temperature with multiple pump overs (not carbonic), giving the wine some texture and tannins from the skin.  No sulfur was added.  This is not your picnic rosé – it’s super geeky, bone-dry, more like a skin-contact orange wine, but it is so delicious! It starts off a bit austere, slightly reductive, but give it some air, and it opens up to reveal incredible flavors of ripe yellow peach and mango, soft and plush, opulent and silky. Stunning!