Gioia del Colle is a town on the Bari Murgia, the limestone plateau separating the Adriatic from the Ionian Sea. Here Primitivo grows on hills of red, stony soil, with wider day-night temperature swings than on the Salento plain: the result is powerful reds with more freshness. The DOC, recognised in 1987, covers the metropolitan city of Bari, with about 123 hectares and 4,200 hectolitres.
Pure Primitivo
The most important style is Gioia del Colle Primitivo, made from 100% Primitivo. There is also a Riserva, which ages for at least two years and cannot be released before 1 November of the second year after the harvest. The appellation's minimum alcohol is 10.5%, but hill-grown Primitivo easily reaches much higher levels.
In the glass it is deep ruby, with aromas of plum, sour cherry, blackberry, dried figs, sweet spice and Mediterranean scrub; the body is full, the tannins soft, the alcohol generous, balanced by good acidity.
The other styles
The Rosso and Rosato combine 50 to 60% Primitivo with 40 to 50% Malvasia Nera, Montepulciano, Negroamaro and Sangiovese, with Malvasia Nera at most 10%. The Bianco requires 50 to 70% Tuscan Trebbiano. There are also two sweet wines from at least 85% Aleatico, an aromatic grape: Aleatico Dolce and Aleatico Liquoroso Dolce, also as a Riserva aged for at least two years, one of them in cask.
At the table
Primitivo goes with Murgia cooking: grilled lamb and kid, bombette, braciole in tomato sauce, orecchiette with ragù and aged cheeses such as Pugliese canestrato. Aleatico is a wine for almond sweets and dark chocolate. Elsewhere in Puglia, towards Taranto, Primitivo has its other great appellation: Primitivo di Manduria.
