If ever we saw a labor of love, A-Mano and Prima-Mano (the barrique-aged Private Reserve, issued in the finest years) are it. Mark's passionate professionalism has achieved a winning combination of California-style technology (jacketed rotary fermenters, heat exchangers, stainless steel equipment on a state-of-the-art scale etc.), and Apulian tradition and terroir (70 to 100-year-old, hand-cultivated, low-yielding vines, still head-trained as they were by the ancient Phoenicians; Puglia's unique alluvial soil, beautiful even to look at: deep red and sienna-colored, ideal for this structured, extract-packed native variety). Add to all the above a northern Italian logistical genius called Elvezia Sbalchiero as Mark's partner; a forward-thinking winery, willing to invest in technology and be the premier winery in Puglia; the perfect location within Primitivo's golden triangle; Mark Shannon's 360-degree quality control; the superb packaging and clockwork synergy.

 

A-Mano is a stunning example of a concentrated, elegant, rich, deep, dark purple wine. The raspberries jump out of the glass to herald the aromas to follow, blueberry, tar, leather, anise and cedar. The complexity evolves and the soft, velvety tannins linger on the long, long finish. This is a wine that reveals a new treasure with each sip.