Packaged in a heavy glass bottle, the Torrevento 2016 Primitivo Since 1913 makes every effort to remind you of its muscle, power and opulence. Dark fruit is stacked tall and wide with dried blackberry, plum, spice, tar and moist chewing tobacco. This is a full-bodied red to pair with charred meat barbecued over mesquite wood. Some 100,000 bottles were made.

I have noticed that Puglia and Calabria are the two Italian wine regions with the heaviest glass wine bottles. The 2013 Primitivo Since 1913 is packaged in one such container that is almost a challenge to lift. The weight of the packaging is reflected in the dark, inky appearance of the wine and the overstated grandeur of its opulent aromas. The bouquet bursts open with rum cake, crème de cassis and blackberry syrup. The wine is so thick, it could almost be used as a condiment. The mouthfeel is characterized by a thick and viscous texture. The jury is out on where the aging trajectory will take an overblown wine like this. I'd suggest a conservative five-year drinking window.