Primitivo MACCONE 17 2017

Angiuli Donato MACCONE 17 Primitivo 2017 is an extraordinary, limited-production red wine from Gioia del Colle in Puglia, southern Italy. Made from 100% Primitivo, this remarkable wine achieves an impressive 17% alcohol naturally through fermentation with indigenous yeasts, without the need for fortification.

Produced only in selected exceptional vintages and available in very limited quantities, MACCONE 17 represents one of the most concentrated expressions of Primitivo from the Angiuli Donato winery. The wine is produced from carefully selected local vine clones with naturally very low yields, allowing the grapes to achieve exceptional ripeness and flavour intensity.

The grapes originate from an ancient vineyard with vines over 70 years old, traditionally cultivated using the Alberello bush-vine system. This historic method, common in southern Italy, allows individual vines to grow as compact, freestanding bushes, naturally limiting production and concentrating the fruit. Vineyard management remains largely manual, preserving traditional practices that have been passed down through generations.

The 2017 displays an intense purple-red colour and a distinctive, expressive bouquet of ripe black cherries and juicy peaches, followed by intriguing notes of liquorice, pink pepper and Mediterranean spice. The unusual combination of dark berries, stone fruit and aromatic spices gives this Primitivo a particularly memorable personality.

On the palate, it is exceptionally full-bodied, powerful and velvety, with remarkable fruit concentration, substantial tannins and a rich, mouth-coating texture. Despite its impressive 17% alcohol content, the wine is designed to maintain balance between ripe fruit, tannic structure and warmth, finishing with lingering dark-fruit and spicy notes.

The grapes undergo gentle pressing followed by approximately 10 days of temperature-controlled fermentation and maceration. The wine is subsequently refined in stainless-steel tanks rather than oak, preserving the distinctive fruit character of the old-vine Primitivo. It is released approximately six months after bottling.

The 2017 vintage offers a fascinating opportunity to experience this powerful Primitivo with additional bottle development. Its intense black-cherry and peach aromas may now be accompanied by more savoury nuances of dried fruit, liquorice, leather and warm spice, while its substantial tannins have had time to integrate. Given its unusual concentration and alcohol level, this is a wine best enjoyed slowly and thoughtfully.

A remarkable old-vine Primitivo – exceptionally concentrated, powerful and velvety, with 17% naturally achieved alcohol, intense dark fruit and distinctive Mediterranean spice. A rare wine for enthusiasts who appreciate bold, unconventional Italian reds.