Primitivo Wine Tour — Manduria Wineries

Strada del Vino Primitivo organises this half-day wine tour through the vineyards of Manduria, the Tarantino town at the heart of the Primitivo di Manduria DOC in southern Apulia. Over roughly five hours the itinerary visits two established wineries, beginning at Cantine Pervini on Via Santo Stasi, with a second cellar stop at a neighbouring producer such as Soloperto. A guided cellar tour explains how the Primitivo grape — genetically identical to California's Zinfandel — is grown in the region's iron-rich red soils and trained in the traditional low alberello (bush-vine) system that concentrates the fruit under the intense Salento sun. Between four and six wines are poured across the visit, ranging from a fresh young Primitivo to the powerful, high-alcohol Primitivo di Manduria DOC and the sweet fortified Dolce Naturale, each served with pairings of local cheeses and charcuterie. The guide outlines the DOC regulations, the harvest cycle, and the recent rise of Manduria's wines to international recognition. The standard fee covers the two winery visits, the cellar tour, the four-to-six wine tastings, and the accompanying food; a higher-priced option adds return road transport from Lecce or Brindisi for those without a car. Personal wine purchases are extra. Tastings are available year-round, while September to November brings the added atmosphere of the grape harvest and crush. The pace is relaxed, with most of the visit spent seated at tastings, making the experience accessible to a broad range of visitors. Because the focus is wine, participants should plan transport in advance and avoid driving themselves between cellars; the transport-inclusive option is well suited to those tasting the full flight. Light snacks accompany every pour, but a meal beforehand is sensible given the elevated alcohol levels typical of Primitivo, which routinely exceeds fourteen percent.