Novella Pastorelli has been unanimously and enthusiastically re-elected as head of the Consortium for the protection of Primitivo di Manduria. This is her second term, in the year that celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Salento DOC, which spans five thousand hectares across 18 municipalities in the provinces of Taranto and Brindisi. Producers, as they await the conclusion of a 2024 harvest expected to be low in quantity (-40%) but of very high quality, are experiencing a delicate moment and have once again placed their trust in Pastorelli, a lawyer and expert in wine law. Joining her will be Roberto Erario and Salvatore Mero, representing the growers — a choice, the Consortium states, aimed at paying closer attention to this sector of the production chain.
Vinification of Manduria rosé
After the idea of upgrading from DOC to DOCG was shelved, Pastorelli's first term saw significant innovations: the adoption of the State label for Primitivo di Manduria DOC and its Reserve, and stronger promotion and valorisation of the Manduria DOP internationally, where about 70% of the over 25 million bottles produced are sold. Looking ahead to the next three years, one of the main goals of the new board is the vinification of Primitivo di Manduria DOC Rosato, which will require a modification to the regulations. "This project is particularly close to my heart, and the previous board had already started work in this direction. The ability to vinify a rosé represents an important opportunity," the re-elected president emphasised, "to expand the commercial horizon of our wineries, especially in foreign markets where lighter wines are preferred. It opens up new commercial opportunities and offers a solution to counter the stagnation of red wines."
Discovering Primitivo di Manduria © Francesco Vignali Photography
The new board members
The key words for the 2024/27 term will be "promotion, wine tourism, sustainability, and protection," said Pastorelli. "Our main goal will be to consolidate the positioning of Primitivo di Manduria internationally, leveraging these four pillars to ensure not only product quality but also the enhancement of our territory, rich in history and wine culture." The Primitivo Consortium currently comprises 115 member companies and 2,000 growers. The new board consists of Novella Pastorelli (Cantine Due Palme), Eleonora Brunetti (Cantine Erario), Ernesto Malagnino (Produttori di Manduria), Roberto Erario (individual grower), Salvatore Mero (individual grower), Saverio Zappimbulso (individual grower), Leonardo Palumbo (Oria Wine), Pietro Pantaleo (Cantine Madonna delle Grazie), and Antonio Masilla (Cantine Pliniana).
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