Mark Shannon and Elvezia Sbalchiero, the duo behind A Mano, have worked in the wine business for most of their lives. Elvezia is a northern Italian wine marketing expert and Mark is a Californian winemaker. They fell in love with Puglia and, when they decided to start their own label, made it their home. By producing high quality wines, Mark and Elvezia have succeeded in making Primitivo one of Italy's most talked about grape varieties. They pay high prices for the best grapes from 70-100 year old vines and focus solely on quality and a modern style.

A Mano Imprint of Mark Shannon Primitivo Appassito is made from dried grapes, so is unbelievably concentrated, rich and opulent - a real blockbuster. Ripe red and black berry fruits jump out of the glass, laced with spice. The palate is exceptionally smooth and velvety. The alcohol content is high, which gives it a Port-like characteristic, so it's ideal for creamy blues like Gorgonzola. For those who like Amarone, this is a fantastic alternative.

2017 was one of the best vintages A Mano have experienced. The weather was perfect, with a cold winter and dry, hot summer, and the vines responded to the excellent conditions. A Mano started harvest on the 25th of August, about 12 days earlier than normal with fruit that was of outstanding quality.

Grape

Primitivo