In the heart of Maruggio, overlooking the Ionian Sea, Masseria Le Fabriche signs a new-generation Primitivo di Manduria: MarrubiuM Riserva Del Bono. With the oenological direction of Mattia Vezzola and the vision of owner Rinaldo Del Bono, a precise and measured red wine is born, capable of telling the story of contemporary Puglia with elegance, depth and territorial authenticity. Iolanda Maggio tells us about it.
In the territory of Maruggio (Taranto), where the Ionian breeze meets the dry stone walls, stands Masseria Le Fabriche, an ancient rural home nestled among centuries-old olive groves and vineyards overlooking the sea. Here is born MarrubiuM Riserva Del Bono, a wine that interprets the Primitivo with a register of precision and measure, without sacrificing territorial recognizability.
At the wine guide is. Mattia Vezzola, one of the most influential protagonists of Italian viticulture, who wanted to bring an idea of technical rigor and aesthetic sensitivity to Puglia. The name MarrubiuM pays homage to the marrubiu (Marrubium vulgare), a medicinal plant of the Mediterranean maquis, a reminder of the purity and strength of the land of Maruggio.
The project and the vision
Vezzola explains the philosophy behind the birth of the project as follows: “The search for harmony is the true work of the winemaker. Viticulture is not a hobby. The goal is to reinvent, to redesign the silhouette of Primitivo and Aglianico. Translating Coco Chanel’s words, I wanted to create a wine that would represent me and be loved. The tannins should be like a cashmere sweater: keep warm but remain light, sinuous and velvety.”
He adds: “The elements should not be competing but complementary. The value of wine is not quality-which is a prerequisite-but longevity. Genetics. And then epigenetics.”
In fact, if we think about it, great wines are born there where the landscape is also part of the vineyard. Where the rows of vines embrace the churches, the houses, following the natural lines of the land where they rise. It is in this context that a wine takes shape that, in the words of Vezzola himself, “it is a Primitivo made well, but not another Primitivo: this is a Primitivo that wants to engage a cultural revolution in Puglia.”
A statement of purpose that shifts the axis from mere winemaking exercise to a project of identity and vision.
Owner Del Bono and the revival of the Masseria
Underlying the project is the figure of Rinaldo Del Bono, a Brescian entrepreneur with a deep passion for Southern Italy and excellent viticulture. Del Bono has chosen to invest in the rebirth of Masseria Le Fabriche to return it to its agricultural and cultural vocation, combining production quality with respect for the landscape.
A passionate sailor, he brings to wine the same philosophy he applies at sea: for a good helmsman, keeping the tiller straight means having a clear idea in his head and his is to create a wine that will be talked about., capable of representing contemporary Apulia with elegance and vision.
Under his leadership, the Masseria has become a laboratory of harmony between tradition and sustainability, where wine is not just a product, but a cultural language.
The doors of the relais inside the 17th-century Masseria will also reopen this year.
The territory and production philosophy
The estate covers an area of 120 hectares, of which about 25 in vineyards, surrounded by 80 hectares of ancient olive trees and 15 hectares of Mediterranean scrub. The soils limestone-clay, combined with the influence of the sea and the constant tramontana wind, offer perfect conditions for slow and complete ripening of the grapes. The agronomic approach – entrusted to Pierluigi Donna – privileges the longevity of the vine and biodiversity. Mass selections from over 100-year-old mother vines are used, in collaboration with French nurseryman Pierre-Marie Guillaume, to preserve the genetic material native to the area.
With this in mind, a viticulture of observation, not forcing, is pursued, where balance is sought in the vineyard even before the winery.
The MarrubiuM Riserva Del Bono 2022, the first vintage on the market, is a Primitivo that surprises with its finesse and measure. Far from the excesses of concentration, capable of expressing the elegance of the South through lightness and depth. A wine that, more than representing a variety, interprets a thought.
Primitivo di Manduria MarrubiuM Riserva Del Bono 2022 Masseria Le Fabriche
Score: 94/100
Average price in wine shop: € 70
Not an easy year, with few grapes, very high temperatures and little rainfall.
85% Primitivo, 15% Aglianico. A blend designed to combine the softness and warmth of the former with the tension and structure of the latter. Matures 12 months in French oak barrels (new and second-passage).
Intense and bright ruby red color. The nose is intense and complex, with ripe cherry, black cherry, plum, violet, black pepper, hints of tobacco and Mediterranean herbs. Enveloping, powerful but taut on the palate, with dense tannins but velvety that perfectly embodies Vezzola’s vision: “like a cashmere sweater, it keeps warm but lightly“. Long, clean and saline finish.
Production is limited to 12,500 bottles and 200 numbered magnums.
