Passito di Primitivo paired with "sfogliatella frolla"

What do my eyes see: Passito di Primitivo!
A modern, colourful box that catches the eye: Cantina Ariano.
We have talked about San Severo in Puglia many times, as well as about Primitivo, but never in the same article!
Gioia del Colle and Manduria are certainly more suitable locations for this famous Puglian grape variety, but this time curiosity takes centre stage.
At the time of purchase I did not know that Luca Maroni, in his yearbook of the best Italian wines, had written about Cantina Ariano, putting this very product in the spotlight with a score of 89.
All the better – at least I can say I was not influenced!
Once the purchase was complete, I did not have the chance to taste it for a few months; until a wedding invitation came along that I could hardly let slip by!
The grape used to produce this wine has a yield of 45% and is left to dry on the vine before being hand-harvested in mid-October.

It is Sunday and, at the end of a light meal, some fresh sfogliatelle, just out of the oven from our trusted pastry shop, come into play; I remember my never-forgotten "friend": let's try it!
Impenetrable ruby red, with strong violet reflections that draw the eye.
The nose makes the mouth water: candied fruit, red fruit jam, sweet spices with a particular emphasis on vanilla and honey form a very complex bouquet that "satisfies" the sense of smell.
There is no resisting it! One must drink it!
On the palate it is full-bodied – it feels like encountering one of those jams meant to be paired with aged cheeses! And there we have it! How could I not have thought of that! It would have been perfect for that pairing too; but now it is too late and the sfogliatella frolla, my favourite, might take offence!
Back to the palate, decidedly satisfied by the body of this wine, which appears balanced by the right ratio of residual sugars to alcohol content and by the appropriate acidity supported by elegant tannins.
Maroni says it "massages" the mouth… and that perfectly describes the sensation experienced by those who drink this fantastic wine.
The pairing satisfied me – a beautiful marriage between neighbouring yet profoundly different lands; now, however, I am left with the curiosity to try it with some of the cheeses for which the Foggia area is so rich!