Negroamaro and Primitivo are blended together in equal parts to create the 2011 Valle Cupa. The wine is fruit-forward and powerful (with 15% alcohol reported on the back label) and a chewy, rich and forthcoming personality. You feel the alcohol. Valle Cupa is a dark and chewy expression that places special focus on candied fruit flavors, crème de cassis and blackberry jelly. Very subtle tertiary notes of licorice and tar add to the wine's hearty appeal.

The 2007 Valle Cupa is a 50-50 blend of Negroamaro and Primitivo that is fermented in barrel and aged in both American and French oak for an additional 12 months. It delivers a full load of deep, spicy flavors including cardamom, clove and nutmeg. There is a thick layer of super-ripe fruit at the back that integrates well enough within that spicy oak context. Valle Cupa delivers a two-prong approach with fruit ripeness upfront and evolved tertiary notes in the background. The close is redolent of tar, resin and cured meat. I would suggest a short, two-year drinking window.

The 1998 Valle Cupa, which spends six months in old oak, comes across as internationally styled, with abundant quantities of blackberry and cherry fruit intermixed with smoke and fennel scents. Full-bodied, ripe, and chewy, this forthright but savory 1998 will drink well for 5-6 years. This wine is bottled without filtration. This wine should definitely be checked out by value conscious readers. Importer: Seth Allen, Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700