Cantine San Marzano

In 1962, 19 grape growers from San Marzano di San Giuseppe, Italy, whose families had farmed the land for generations, combined their efforts to establish Cantine San Marzano. Now, this cooperative consists of 1,200 winegrowers. It is one of the most popular and well-known wineries in the ancient southern region of Puglia. Puglia forms the “heel” of Italy’s “boot,” and San Marzano di San Giuseppe is just ten miles inland from the Gulf of Taranto.

Francesco Cavallo, president of the winery since 1982, has promoted a cultural revolution among the members, pursuing modernization of production facilities, along with the fresh ideas of young winemakers, Caterina Bellanova and Davide Ragusa.

Francesco is determined to create clean and elegant wines that express the authenticity of the Primitivo grape, yet with a modern interpretation. He also instituted the exportation of bulk wine to France and in the 1990s, and after establishing the bottling line, began marketing wine through a broad sales network.
The combined 1,500 hectares of Cantine San Marzano’s members are devoted mainly to two great red grapes of Puglia – Primitivo and Negroamaro. The acreage includes a 40-hectare bush vine vineyard, called “Valle del Sessantanni” (Sixty-Year-Old Valley). It is located right in the heart of the Primitivo di Manduria D.O.P. region, on fine-textured residual red soil, with a generous calcareous substrate, a few emerging rocks, and a high content of iron oxides, giving the earth its typical red hue.

Vines of the cooperative’s members are at least 60 years old. Fruit is harvested in mid-September. The winery’s vinification facility houses 3.000 barriques, made of high-quality French, American, and Caucasian oak.
The wines of Cantine San Marzano express a unique connection between love for the land and tradition blended with innovation. The cooperative’s members practice conservation and meticulous management of old bush vines. Quality is the cardinal principle of the Cantine San Marzano.