PietraPura Discover the Power and Versatility of Primitivo di Manduria
The Zingarelli family have crafted exceptional, terroir-driven wines in Tuscany for over 50 years. When they decided to put this expertise to work in Puglia, they knew they needed to partner with quality-focused local producers — people who knew Puglia, its unique terroir, and its wines better than anyone else. So, the Zingarellis partnered with the Leo family, one of the best-known independent wine producers from Salento, and PietraPura was born.
Located in southern Italy, Puglia is the narrow peninsula that forms the country’s “heel” and divides the Adriatic Sea from the Ionian Sea. This hot, sunny region is renowned for producing some of the best-value and richest red wines in all of Italy. While PietraPura Mandus does offer incredible value — especially compared to other premium Primitivo di Mandura DOP wines — the Zingarelli family’s true focus is on crafting a top-quality wine that captures the style and terroir of Puglia’s Salento region.
It begins with the name. “Pietra Pura” translates to “pure stone,” a reference to the area’s limestone-based soils. “Mandus” is an ode to the region of Manduria, located within Salento, which remains the only viticultural area in Italy to specialize in the primitivo grape variety. Naturally, PietraPura Mandus is produced with 100% primitivo grapes, sourced from the best possible vineyards in Manduria.
Aged for four months in French oak barrels, PietraPura Mandus is a full-bodied, intensely concentrated wine with ripe red-fruit aromas and a juicy, round palate with notes of cacao and vanilla. It’s closer in style to American zinfandel than its Italian counterparts and will pair well with a wide range of international cuisines, making it an approachable, versatile red wine.
Working alongside their local partners, the Zingarelli family have achieved their goal. From its meaningful name to the handcrafted wine inside, PietraPura Mandus is a pure representation of the nature and spirit of Salento — and a delicious testimony to the heights that wines from Puglia can achieve with proper care and dedication.
PietraPura Highlights
The Zingarelli family have combined their 50+ years of fine winemaking experience with the expertise of local Puglian producers to bring PietraPura Mandus to the world.
Crafted from 100% primitivo, sourced from the Manduria area of Puglia’s Salento region.
PietraPura Mandus captures the style and terroir of Salento, while offering incredible value and versatility.
Made by veteran winemaker Luca Francioni, the Zingarellis’ chief oenologist.
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Location
Salento, Puglia, Italy
Rich Agricultural Heritage
Since the Middle Ages, Puglia has been home to a wide range of culinary delights, driven by a strong farming culture — the region’s iconic white Trulli huts, which provided peasant farmers respite from the blazing-hot daytime sun, are but one remnant of this proud history and are officially designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Today, Puglia produces around 40% of Italy’s olive oil (roughly 300,000 metric tonnes / 330,693 U.S. tons per year). It’s also credited as the birthplace of burrata cheese, orecchiette pasta, tiella (the Italian version of Spanish paella), and more. Although Puglia has historically been a source of large-volume wine production, modern winemakers are increasingly focusing on quality over quantity, as PietraPura Mandus deliciously proves.
Manduria: Puglia’s Primitivo Powerhouse
Established in 1974, the Primitivo di Manduria DOP is one of the oldest officially designated appellations in Puglia and the only viticultural area in Italy to specialize in the primitivo grape variety. Located in the province of Taranto in the larger Salento region, Manduria stretches along the Gulf of Taranto for 40 kilometers / 25 miles and is marked by sweeping plains that slope gently to the sea.
Like all of Puglia, Manduria has a warm Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers that produce very ripe, concentrated grapes, which give wines from Salento intensely rich flavor profiles. The summer heat is offset by cooling breezes from the Adriatic coast, which help keep vines healthy and prevent over-ripening of the fruit, along with the region’s limestone-based soils, which retain much-needed water and nutrients for the vines.
Unique Among Manduria DOP Wines
Although the Primitivo di Manduria DOP only requires wines to consist of at least 85% primitivo, PietraPura Mandus is comprised of 100% primitivo. The must is gently pressed to extract every bit of color and flavor, and the wine ages for four months in French oak barrels.
PietraPura Mandus is closer to American zinfandel in character than its Salento and Puglia IGT counterparts, yet still more refined than the U.S. style. It has a bouquet resplendent in ripe red fruits and a round, juicy palate offering notes of cacao and vanilla. An incredibly versatile wine, PietraPura Mandus will complement a wide range of Italian and international cuisines.
A Special Partnership
The idea for PietraPura Mandus was conceived by the Zingarelli family, who craft exceptional, terroir-driven wines in Tuscany. Together with the Leo family of Puglia, the Zingarellis entrusted the collaboration of this special project to Luca Francioni, who is the chief oenologist at their highly respected Rocca delle Macìe estate and has decades of winemaking experience.
