Vineyard: A-Mano
Region: Apulia
A-Mano was the first of the Shannon/Sbalchiero brands to come into being, so it is not surprising its name should be tantamount to a declaration of intent, the Puglian mission itself of these two wonderful people. True enough, A-Mano means hand-made.
Entirely hand-crafted from old vines of the indigenous Primitivo variety (Zinfandel’s granddaddy), these fruit-packed, food-friendly red IGTs express the region’s quality potential, and the reasons for co-owner/California winemaker Mark Shannon’s Apulian connection.
Motives best told by Mark himself: Apulia (or Puglia, as it is known in Italian) is so easy to fall in love with: old, head-trained vineyards, a history of grape-growing in harmony with nature. Everything necessary for top-quality wines. I was compelled to stay. I have not seen another region of the world where the quality potential is so high. After so many years of technical winemaking, I had almost forgotten that the right way to make wine is with love. In fact, Puglia reminded me this is the way to do everything.
If ever we saw a labor of love, A-Mano and Prima-Mano (the barrique-aged Private Reserve, issued in the finest years) are it. Mark’s passionate professionalism has achieved a winning combination of California-style technology (jacketed rotary fermenters, heat exchangers, stainless steel equipment on a state-of-the-art scale etc.), and Apulian tradition and terroir (70 to 100-year-old, hand-cultivated, low-yielding vines, still head-trained as they were by the ancient Phoenicians; Puglia’s unique alluvial soil, beautiful even to look at: deep red and sienna-colored, ideal for this structured, extract-packed native variety). Add to all the above a northern Italian logistical genius called Elvezia Sbalchiero as Mark’s partner; a forward-thinking winery, willing to invest in technology and be the premier winery in Puglia; the perfect location within Primitivo’s golden triangle; Mark Shannon’s 360-degree quality control; the superb packaging and clockwork synergy…
Wines from this Vineyard...
Additional Information
| Country | Italy |
|---|---|
| Region |
ApuliaApulia is Italy’s flattest region with fertile plains home to vast olive groves, cereal crops, and vineyards planted in iron-rich soils. The geography conjures visions of a boot heel jutting into the Adriatic and Ionian seas, which accounts for 830 kilometers of coastline. This “bread basket” region of Italy noted for dry hot summers is thus tempered by cooling sea breezes. Charmingly dotting the Apulian landscape in the Itria valley are the prehistoric, unique cone or dome shaped, stone dwellings know as i trulli. Long reputed as the wine cellar for all of Europe, production has been dominated by massive cooperatives. But here again, like throughout much of the southern regions, private investment and recognition of the abundant, natural elements of the region are allowing for more premium wine to be produced at value prices. With figures suggesting that production ranges from 70-80% in favor of red wine, there are just three grapes to note: Negroamaro, Primitivo and Malvasia Nera, grown mainly on the Salento peninsula. The grapes were traditionally blended, when not sold in bulk, to create the wine Salice Salentino which is known for its superb value. The primary grapes usually are the Negroamaro which provides the wine with depth of color, firm tannins and structure and the Primitivo which lends rich fruit and soft sweet tannins. However a standout for individual production has been the Primitivo, which has the added distinction of being genetically linked to Zinfandel found in North America (not hard to understand given the number of southern Italian immigrants that found their ways to Northern California in the early 1900’s). When combined with oak, the spicy fruit lends itself to an exceptional value. |
