Ferrari, Antonio - Antonio Ferrari Il Barone 1949 750ml (750ml)

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"It's difficult not to use superlatives or the word "brooding" when describing the rare, ineffable, fairytale wines of Antonio Ferrari. They are irrationally gorgeous wines. In the glass, this ’49 Il Barone, a mono-varietal Primitivo, shows a blackish ruby that glints with garnet highlights. It's shockingly fresh, however, with just a touch of oxidation in its notes of black cherries, sweet Asian spices, tamarind, chocolate and espresso. The mellifluous silkiness is cut with bitter almond, making it a wine you'll want to take your time sipping." ~ Italian Wine Merchants

Antonio Ferrrari was originally a wine merchant and negociant living and working in Piedmont in the early-mid 20th century, however he had a profound interest in the grapes of Puglia, particularly Primitivo - some say his 'heart lay in the south'. He didn't initially want to be a winemaker but he fell into it with his love of this land and in 1938 he produced his own first vintage, choosing not to purchase vineyards but to buy the very best fruit he could buy. He became devoted to making wine, and not ordinary wine but 'amazing' wine.In 1949 he pressed the incredibly ripe fruit in Puglia and then transported the juice back to his home cellars in Galliante. The plan was to produce a big rich wine of upwards 20% alcohol, however something about the change in climatic conditions and elevation halted the ferment at about 14% alcohol. He aged the wine for 10 years in old Slovenian oak cask and then transported it to cement tank for upwards of further 35 years aging.Antonio F