Tasted at Vin Nature: Antiche Cantine de Quarto

Antiche Cantine de Quarto is another winery I tasted the afternoon I left Vinitaly for Vin Nature, a group of winemakers who eschew all kinds of chemicals and pesticides -- I sat down for what I thought would be a last wine before dinner, liked it, and tried another and another. Rather like nibbling on a bowl of cherries.

Antiche Cantine de Quarto Fiano Intenso IGP Puglia 2010
This is a Minutolo; it's elegant brilliant brassy gold with brassy reflections and has an intense bouquet with considerable goodeberry laced with roses and greenish vegetal accents, supported by acidity that has a definite mineral zing to it. A lot going on. On the palate it's full and rich, with powerful lemony fruit laced with some citrus, and deft greenish minerality that flows into a bright gooseberry citrus finish. Quite zesty, and will work very well with flavorful grilled fish and dishes such as a Tiella. Something to keep an eye out for.
2 stars

Antiche Cantine de Quarto Mucchio Primitivo di Manduria DOC 2008
Deep cherry ruby with almandine rim. The bouquet is rich, with jammy cherry fruit supported by some concord grape jelly and considerable sweetness. Voluptuous. On the palate it's full and rich, with powerful cherry plum fruit supported by plum sweetness and moderate acidity, while the tannins are smooth and fairly dry, and flow into a clean fresh prune finish. Very nicely balanced, and though it is fairly strong the alcohol doesn't disturb. A fine, fine expression of the varietal, and worth seeking out.
90-92

Antiche Cantine de Quarto Dionisio Primitivo di Manduria DOC Riserva 2008
This is made from the best bunches, ripened further, fermented slowly, and then aged in wood for a few months. Inky purple. The bouquet is rich, with jammy Concord grapes laced with sweetness and some petroleum, hints of gooseberry, and deft spice with underlying alcohol. Beautiful balance and complexity though I found myself preferring the linearity of the Mucchio. On the palate it's full and smooth, with rich red cherry plum fruit supported by deft berry fruit acidity and warmth that has savory balsamic accents, and by tannins that are dry and cedar laced, and flow into a long warm cedar laced finish. Very fine and quite approachable, and if you are of international tastes you may prefer it, but I find that Primitivo really doesn't need wood.
90

Antiche Cantine de Quarto Pozzella Lizzano Rosso Negroamaro DOC 2009
Deep cherry ruby with some almandine in the rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with red berry fruit supported by lively acidity and some vegetal accents; it's fairly rich, and gives an impression of zestiness. On the palate it's medium bodied, with bright sour cherry fruit laced with minerality and some underbrush that flows into a clean rather fresh mineral finish. Pleasant, and will drink well with red meats or light stews.
2 stars

Antiche Cantine de Quarto Tarantola Lizzano Rosso Superiore DOC 2005
Again, Negroamaro. Deep pigeon blood ruby with almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with berry fruit laced with green leather and savory notes, as well as sweet underbrush and minerality. Nice depth in a mature key, and as it opens herbal accents also emerge. On the palate it's fairly full, with bright berry fruit supported by some sweetness from alcohol, minerality, and tannins that have a warm peppery burr and flow into a clean brambly greenish finish. It's a nice expression of the grape, and will work well with grilled meats or hearty stews, though I wouldn't age it for that much longer.
2 stars

Antiche Cantine de Quarto Albiria Primitivo di Manduria Dolce DOC 2008
Deep pigeon blood ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is rich, with brown sugar and hints of leather mingled with caramel and plums, prune fruit and some vegetal accents, lacy sugar, violets and other blossoms, mentholated notes, and one could go on and on. Terrific complexity. On the palate it's full, rich, and sweet, with elegant prune cherry fruit supported by warmth and sweet tannins, and is beautifully harmonious, a wine that seems simple because everything is in its place, but that one can sip for hours without tiring of.
92-3

They also make a liqueur called Elisir di Primitivo, a digestivo of sorts, which was a very nice way to finish up the tasting. Extremely pleasant.

For more information, check their web site.