What is Primitivo?

[gwilson]

Zinfandel is my favorite grape by far. And I read a while back that DNA tests had proven that Primitivo was the same grape (or Zin's father, can't remember). Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, I ordered a glass of Primitivo in a local restaurant, and the bartender let me look at the bottle as I was drinking it. It didn't list Primitivo as a grape, but it did list five others. So I'm confused. Thanks for the help.

-Greg

[Craig Camp]

If they were selling a wine that included other grape types as primitivo they were pulling your chain - or sad to say don't know any better.

To be labeled "Primitivo" the wine must be 100% (well damn close) primitivo and it must come from Puglia who has the only IGT and DOC for this variety. It can not be blended and legally called "Primitivo". Although it does show up in wines from other southern regions it will not be labled under the varietal name primitivo.

For the background on the varietal and zinfandel check out one of my recent newsletters:

By clicking here.

[DaleJ]

FWIW, there's an interesting article currently on the NYT website regarding Primitivo.

[Rebel Rose]

In the states, it's a little more confusing since the BATF keeps changing the rules. Always a pleasure dealing with the Men in Black. A few years ago our winery bottled a "Primitivo Zinfandel" and we were huffily informed by the BATF that consumers might think that primitivo is a clone of zinfandel. The rules listed them as separate varietals. Now the rules apparently state that zinfandel and primitivo are considered the same varietal, like mourvedre/montaro. However, the grapes are different, and most local growers here consider primitivo to be a clone of zinfandel, which is a varietal with a lot of, well, variation anyway!

Unfortunately, we only have 2.2 acres of defined primitivo in our appellation, Paso Robles, but oldtime growers confess that they planted their zinfandel vineyards with primitivo. Yet back then, 1920 to 1960, they were required to call it zinfandel, and zinfandel it remains. ::shrug::

So, in the states at least, to be labeled primitivo it must be sold to the winery as primitivo and bottled as primitivo. But, a lot of the zinfandel you like might be primitivo as well, but nobody really knows it!

[Adam Balic]

Primitivo has been grown in the Puglia region for ~150 - 200 years, Zinfandel has been in the states since the 1800's, Crljenak has been in Dalmatia (Croatia) for longer then both these periods. All are the same grape variety. Primitivo is not a clone of Zinfandel.

What isn't kown is if the US Zinfandel came from Puglian Primitivo or directly from Croatia. Most proberly the former as Crljenak is relatively rare in Croatia now. Also it is likely that there are large clonal differences between that Zinfandel/Primitivo, so they are the same grape, but they will not nessarily produce the same wine, even grown in the same location etc.

[gwilson]

First of all, thank you to everyone for the information. It's helped a lot. When I was at the aforementioned restaurant, I was almost positive that Primitivo was indeed a grape not a region. But since I hadn't really researched it at the time, I didn't say anything. (And I did like the wine that was poured. Nice bouquet.)

I also have a reason for not replying to all of you for a while. This past week, I have searched all of Atlanta for a Dover Canyon wine. To no avail. Mr./Mrs./Ms. DoverCanyon, are you guys in Atlanta right now? Sherlock's said that they could order something for me. But as I only want a bottle or two - for monetary reasons - I don't want them to have to order a whole case or more just so I get to taste it. No chance of a free sample from the winery is there? lol - just kidding

Thanks again for all the info.

-Greg

[jeffperez62]

I just recieved a bottle of primo which actually is labeled Zinfandel on the front label ( for U.S.A. marketing purposes I guess) and is labeled as primo on the back label........very interesting