2010 Uvaggio Primitivo

100% 2010 vintage
96% Lodi appellation
96% Bella Vigna Vineyard
4% Sierra Foothill Charbono

After several days of cold maceration we bled ~5% of the juice to make our Rosato, then inoculated the must with a fruit enhancing yeast strain.

Immediately following fermentation and pressing, the wine was filled to barrels, so a malo-lactic conversion would transpire in cooperage.

It was aged for about six months in a combination of 16% new Hungarian oak, 8% once used Hungarian oak, with the balance in relatively neutral French oak barrels.

Bottled in June 2011; 13.7% alcohol, pH 3.69 & TA 5.9 g/l

Fruity, soft and supple; possessing aromas and flavors of black cherry and boysenberry, along with hints of anise and vanilla; it is nuanced and possesses an elegant, dry finish.


Uvaggio Primitivo Press

"Buttery, oaky aromas meet bright cherry and raspberry flavors in this medium- to full-bodied wine. It has a very fruity jammy flavor profile, a smooth texture and soft acidity." — Jim Gordon

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"This bold and very enjoyable wine goes big on the fresh fruity components while seasoning them with accents of wood smoke and black pepper. It's full bodied, not very tannic and seems to overflow with blackberry and blueberry flavors." — Jim Gordon

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"A wine for grown-ups, this is big but balanced and dry in style. It matches impressive layers of just-ripe blackberry and black-plum flavors with a sturdy structure of fine-grained tannins that clean the palate easily. It has considerable depth and focus, indicated by how the dark fruits seem to keep increasing in intensity even on the finish." — Jim Gordon

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"This wine smells more savory than fruity, and tastes smooth, moderately fruity and easy to enjoy. Medium bodied, it's well balanced between acidity and richness, and not too tannic, giving an appealing mouthfeel." — Jim Gordon

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"A great price for this well-made Primitivo, Uvaggio opens with juicy, bright red raspberry and dark cherry flavor, stays light through the mid palate and finishes with a long lingering streak of vanilla. Dry and fresh, it’ll pair perfectly with thin-crust pizza topped with basil out of the garden." — Virginie Boone

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"I was in Northern California last week judging at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair wine competition, and I spent some of my time tracking down interesting producers whose wines I’d never tried. This racy, floral-scented 2011 Uvaggio Primitivo, a deliciously balanced red from the Lodi region with a taste of spice and juicy berries and layers of flavors, is one of my discoveries. I think it’s the ultimate gourmet pizza wine — soft and easy to drink, yet surprisingly complex for its well-under-$20 price.

Uvaggio’s opinionated winemaker, Jim Moore, is no wine newcomer. Years ago, he was a force behind the now-defunct La Famiglia di Robert Mondavi label that specialized in Italian varietals such as Sangiovese, as well as helping launch Luce, the Mondavi collaboration project with Tuscany’s Frescobaldi family. Moore made California’s first Vin Santo..."

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"If only more California Primitivo could be made in this style - soft, lower in alcohol, modestly showing its fruit - there would be more converts among Zin fanatics, who would be wowed by the subtle black cherry and licorice flavors and dry finish, minimally aged in oak." — Virginie Boone

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"Another stunner from Uvaggio, who is making stellar wines across the board from Lodi grapes, low in alcohol (13%) and fairly priced. This fruity Primitivo can be enjoyed all night from before a meal to during to a bedtime sendoff—it just gets better and better in the glass. Pomegranate, cherry, toffee, they’re all in this soft, easy-drinking wine." — Virginie Boone

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