Cantina Sava

Origins in Sava

Cantina Sava was created in the town of Sava, at the heart of the Primitivo di Manduria denomination. Sava is characterized by extensive plantings of old and century-old vines and is presented as a living record of both regional and Italian viticulture.

The project was built around the identification and selection of the oldest Primitivo bush vines in the Sava and Manduria area. Some of these vines have grown for almost a century and remain a source of grapes selected for their quality. Continuing vineyard research and close attention to detail led to the identification of preferred sites and the refinement of vinification practices.

Cantina Sava within Fantini Group

Cantina Sava operates through Cantina Sava S.r.l., a controlled company directed and coordinated within Fantini Group. Its role within the group is that of a commercial headquarters. The subsidiary follows a traditional corporate-governance structure with a board of directors and a statutory board.

Cantina Sava works in Puglia, particularly around Sava and Manduria in Alto Salento. Its Primitivo vineyards lie within the production area of Primitivo di Manduria, where intense sunshine and proximity to the Ionian Sea are central climatic influences.

Conditions vary across the selected sites. Parts of the Salento peninsula are hot and dry, with calcareous clay soils that retain water and help keep the root environment cooler during very hot summers. Day-to-night temperature variation contributes to the development of Malvasia Nera.

Other sites combine sandy and clay soils with abundant sunshine and cool sea breezes. Vineyards coexist with olive trees and wheat fields in the surrounding agricultural landscape. Around Manduria, Primitivo also grows on red clay soils. The Campo V selection comes from red soil rich in iron oxides over a limestone-rock layer.

The principal Primitivo zone extends between Sava and Manduria. It contains old, low-yielding vines trained as traditional Apulian bush vines, locally described as alberelli or albarelli.

Cantina Sava’s vineyard work centers on selecting old Primitivo bush vines in the Sava and Manduria area. The oldest selected plants are approaching a century of age; other identified groups include vines over 30 years old and the low-yielding Campo V vines over 60 years old.

Harvesting is performed manually, bunch by bunch. Grapes are brought to the cellar intact and in sound condition. Vineyard selection is treated as the first decisive quality step, supported by continuing site research and close attention to individual vineyard material.

Primitivo is described as an early-ripening variety of medium vigor with medium-to-low yields. The Campo V source is specifically identified as low yielding.

Healthy, intact bunches are delivered to the cellar after manual harvesting. Cantina Sava’s oenologists then supervise vinification and maturation, with the wines subsequently intended for extended development in bottle.

The production approach has evolved through continuing research, detailed vineyard selection and the refinement of vinification techniques. No single cellar protocol is presented as universal across the range; individual wines follow distinct maceration, fermentation and maturation regimes.

Cantina Sava frames its identity around three elements of Salento wine culture: sun, sea and passion. Quality begins with the careful selection of grapes in the vineyard, particularly fruit from old Primitivo bush vines.

Its stated approach combines respect for traditional Salento vine material with continuing research and detailed technical work. The objective is to identify the most suitable vineyards, refine vinification practices and preserve the contribution of old vines through careful cellar supervision.