Solaria Jonica, Cantine Antonio Ferrari 1959

No, the vintage date of this wine is not an error. Just released, it is a selection of old-vine Primitivo grown south of Taranto and only now hitting the market. No one seems to know whether the fermentation was stopped by fortifying the wine or if it just stopped on its own as a result of the superlative richness of the must, but the fact remains that, with close to 14% of alcohol, it is as sweet as a great Recioto, a wine which it greatly resembles. Still an amazingly fresh ruby color, it features a decadent nose of blackberry jam, raisins, chocolate, and licorice, a texture of sheer satin, great warmth and roundness, a sweetness which never becomes cloying, precise and focused flavors, and a finish as long as the fade-out to "Hey Jude". The producer is negotiating with an importer for this and other wines, but it is presently available at Piero Selvaggio's Valentino restaurant in Santa Monica and at Alain Ducasse's Louis XV restaurant in Monte Carlo, for those willing to fling a few shekels around.