Muro Sant'Angelo Barbatto is Tenute Chiaromonte's selected Primitivo from Gioia del Colle in Puglia. Nicola Chiaromonte's family estate focuses on the grape's generous fruit and substantial character. This mature bottling brings plum, spice and chocolate into a rich red for a thoughtful, unhurried meal rather than a quick everyday glass.
- Aromas: Plum and blackberry, with spice, chocolate and liquorice building around the ripe fruit and giving the fragrance depth.
- Palate: Rich and impactful, with a generous middle and a smooth texture. Acidity balances the ripe-fruit impression, leading to a pleasant, persistent chocolate-and-liquorice finish.
- Style: A full-bodied, concentrated Primitivo with a warm, mature character and substantial flavour; ripe-fruit richness should not be confused with a dessert-wine style.
- Winemaking: Selected Primitivo from Gioia del Colle is used for the Barbatto expression. Careful harvest selection and maturation bring the fruit concentration and structure together, keeping the grape's distinctive richness at the centre.
- Cellaring: Drink now if well stored, with potential for further development in bottle. If ageing further, store in a cool and dark location. Before opening stand upright to settle sediment, and taste before choosing gentle decanting or further aeration.
- Food Pairing: Roast lamb, braised beef, mushroom dishes or mature cheese; tomato-rich pasta and savoury barbecue flavours also suit its generous fruit.
For Primitivo lovers who want a more ambitious expression, Barbatto is a rewarding bottle to explore. Put it beside a rich main course and enjoy the way the plum, spice and chocolate layers open. A mature Puglian red that deserves a little time and good company. Serve slightly cool, taste before deciding on decanting, and give the wine time to develop in the glass.
Tenute Chiaromonte
In Acquaviva delle Fonti, within Puglia’s Gioia del Colle area, Tenute Chiaromonte carries an agricultural family story dating to 1826. Nicola Chiaromonte, working with his friend and business partner Paolo Montanaro, has developed that inheritance into an estate known especially for Primitivo. Vineyards and ancient olive trees share the landscape, with organic cultivation central to the approach. Primitivo remains the defining grape, while the collection also includes Fiano, Moscato and other varieties that reveal a broader view of Puglian wine.
The estate’s distinction is its ambitious interpretation of Primitivo, particularly through the Muro Sant’Angelo wines and the more concentrated Contrada Barbatto. These bottlings explore the grape’s depth and generosity within a specific regional setting. Recognition includes Gambero Rosso’s Tre Bicchieri for Contrada Barbatto, alongside awards and strong reviews from other wine guides and competitions. Rosé and sparkling wines provide further points of discovery. For lovers of rich southern Italian reds, Chiaromonte offers a compelling combination of longstanding family roots, careful farming and a focused reputation for the wines of Gioia del Colle.
