Synopsis, Our Opinion: It’s EXQUISITE Primitivo.
Producer/Winery: Azienda Agricola Morella; Manduria, Italy
Grape Variety: Primitivo (Zinfandel).
Geographic Appellation: Puglia, Italy.
Vintage: First tasting: 2013; Second tasting: 2015
Price: First tasting: $46.80; Second tasting: $48.80 (with a 10% mixed case discount)
Purchased From: The Caviste Wine Shop; Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Paired With: First tasting: BBQ pork, roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli.
Second tasting: Venison enchiladas, Mexican rice, refried beans and chopped Lettuce.
Tasting:
-
First tasting:
He said: Opened and decanted one hour before drinking. Purple/garnet color with a purple rim. Earthy, fruity aromas with hints of lilac blossoms. Very smooth, gobs of acidity and medium to heavy body. Quite intense blackberry, plum and current flavors with lots of tartness and long finish that exudes supple tannins, fresh acidity, mouthwatering ripe fruit flavors and perfect balance. I’m trying to compare this wine to other Primitivo and California Zinfandel we’ve had in this price range…this has to be in the top few. With that in mind all I can say is…it’s EXQUISITE Primitivo (Zinfandel) and gets my “without reservation” recommendation!!!. Watch for a post in the near future where we do a side-by-side tasting of this wine, the Morella Old Vines Primitivo and a Turley Zinfandel.
She said: Slightly opaque, dark ruby red color with many thin, evenly spaced, steadily moving legs. Somewhat strong spicy and ripe juicy fruit aroma introduces a mouth full of tastes that are dry and smooth. Plum flavors blossom in the mouth and pass into a long finish. This wine had all the good qualities of a traditional Zinfandel without any of its flaws. The wonderful soft tannins were well integrated and enhanced the finish. The wine complemented the pork and potatoes but was also delicious sipping alone. Way too pricey to be a bargain wine, but it was a real treat with its very refined character.
Second tasting: Our comments for the 2015 vintage would pretty much mirror what we said about the 2013 vintage, except we have a subjective comment to add about the 2015 vintage. We had this same dinner the night before paired with a Turley Zinfandel we thought was SENSATIONAL. Although this was not a side-by-side comparison it did make us aware of what we liked in a Zinfandel when paired with this Mexican venison dinner. Both the Turley and the 2015 Morella were OUTSTANDING paired with the dinner; however, when sipping without food after the meal the 2015 Morella really shinned. The magnificent aromas, harmonious flavors and energetic character were simply perfect and we both commented that we liked it better than the Turley and the earlier 2013 vintage. We think the 2015 Morella La Signora Primitivo is a hedonist’s dream!!!
Photo from Morella.
See also our review of other Morella wines.
Alcohol Content: 15%
Closure: Cork.
UPC Code: 024606 36877 2
Imported by: Piedmont Wine Imports; Durham, North Carolina.