From the sun-drenched Salento peninsula in Puglia, the "heel" of Italy's boot, comes this exceptional Primitivo from Tormaresca. This estate represents the Antinori family's passion project in southern Italy, blending their centuries of Tuscan winemaking expertise with the unique terroir of Puglia. "Torcicoda" is a modern, polished expression of Primitivo, sourced from the estate's best vineyards to create a wine with both power and grace. In the glass, it pours a deep, opaque ruby. The nose is rich and inviting, bursting with aromas of ripe blackberry, plum jam, and black cherries, layered with sweet notes of vanilla, cocoa, and a hint of cinnamon from its time in oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, velvety, and smooth, with plush tannins that coat the mouth. The dark fruit flavors are concentrated and jammy but beautifully balanced by a subtle acidity that keeps the wine from feeling heavy. The finish is long and warm, with lingering notes of sweet spice and dark chocolate. This is a perfect companion for hearty dishes like barbecue ribs, braised lamb shanks, or aged, hard cheeses.

This one is for the Zin fans - a beautiful juicy and jammy red from Puglia! I love Primitivo - some folks have a tendency to write it off due to the stereotypes surrounding the varietal, but Tormaresca and the Antinori family hit it out of the park with this wine. All estate grown fruit, they do a masterful job both in the cellar and in the vineyard to make sure there are layers and complexity rather than just another one note wine. You still get all the lovely dark blue fruit - plum, blackberry, blueberries, fruit jam - but the underlying acidity helps to cut through the plushiness and elevate the mineral notes that come from the Puglianese soil. Only a touch of spice, a little dark choclate, this wine is the perfect pairing for those end of year BBQ's - definitely a crowd pleaser!