The 2009 Primitivo Salento Montecoco is a gorgeous wine for the money. It shows lovely juiciness and plenty of varietal character while avoiding the excessive heaviness that plagues so many of its peers. A blast of dark red fruit punctuates the exuberant finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2017. This is a promising set of wines from Li Veli. It will be interesting to see what the Falvo family comes up with now that they have fully exited Avignonesi and are free to focus on their Puglia property. This year I tasted two new sweet wines that are clearly modeled on the legendary wines the family made at Avignonesi, but with much shorter aging.Importer: Dalla Terra, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 259-5405

Game, dark plum sauce and smoke notes mix on a full-bodied frame. Astringent tannins dominate the finish. Drink now. 2,500 cases made, 50 cases imported.??–NW??Region: Italy / South / Puglia / Salento Select to Add