Donna Marzia

Shelf Talkers    * Cantilupi    * Negramaro   * Primitivo     Shelf Talkers

(Salento)

Donna Marzia is the largest and best known of four estates in Salento owned by the Conti Zecca family. Salento's wine-growing history goes back thousands of years, at least to the Magna Graecia period (8th Century BCE) if not before. Trade with Asia Minor encouraged the development of wine-growing, through the Greek, Roman and Byzantine periods right up to the eighteenth century arrival of the Bourbons, who were actively involved in the trade. The Conti Zecca family had moved from Naples at the end of the sixteenth century to settle in Leverano, and became large estate holders, practicing mixed agriculture, (including wine-growing). Their alliance with the Auverny, French bankers and businessmen who followed the Bourbons to the area, led to export to France, Sweden, England and Denmark. During the twentieth century the estate was greatly modernized, so that today it is at the forefront of quality wine production. From clonal selection and nurseries all the way to the bottling line, the estate marries the tradition of excellence to the most modern technical methods. Of the 800 hectares in Salento belonging to the family, Donna Marzia represents 190 hectares.

Area of Production: central Salento, in Puglia

Grape varieties: 85% Negroamaro in Negramaro; 85% Primitivo in Primitivo

Balance: Other recommended vines

Planted 4,500-5,500 plants per ha, yielding 10 tonnes/ha

Cultivation: Renewal spur or espalier

Soils: Alluvial, with some limestone

Climate: mild winters, with very arid springs and summers

Vinification: destemmed crushing, soft pressing, maceration and temperature controlled fermentation (25-28o) for 12 days. Aged in cement tanks lined with

 epoxy resins.

Tasting notes:

Primitivo

deep ruby with a spicy nose, a soft, full palate of ripe red fruit, good structure

Negramaro

intense ruby red with a touch of garnet, a nose of ripe red fruit, and a velvety palate, long finish