I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised that Li Veli’s ‘simple’ Primitivo is so good because everything they produce at this address in southern Puglia is amazing but, really, what a stunning wine for under $20!  Primitivo is, of course, the clone of a red grape originating on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, right across the narrow Adriatic from Puglia.  When it migrated to Amerca’s West Coast with the Italian immigrants during the Gold Rush, it became known by the farmers who planted it as Zinfandel.  Same thing, totally different terroir and totally different results.  Don’t expect all that dark intense fruit, low acidity and high alcohol like you’d find in a California Zin.  Rather this traditional Primitivo is earthy and packed with red currant and Morello cherry-like fruit and the kind of fresh, lively acidity that will make your spaghetti and meatballs really stand up and take notice. This middle-weight, ultra-lovely red is the genuine essence of Puglia’s southern Italian sunshine.  Buy a case and you won’t be sorry.  Stupendous value here- really!