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Ceppaiolo

Cepparu 2018

Price: $33.95
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Tasting notes

This is the kind of red you reach for when you want something with genuine nerve rather than weight: fresh tomato, sour cherry, and blackberry with a savory undertow, all at 11.5% ABV. The six-day maceration and cement aging keep it crunchy and alive without a trace of oak.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
Wild StrawberrySour CherryBlackberryFresh Tomato
  • Style: Dry, light-bodied red; bright acidity; fresh red fruit and savory notes; 11.5% ABV
  • Grapes & Terroir: Vernaccia Rossa and Montepulciano; calcareous clay soils; ~400m elevation; vines up to 70 years old; IGT Umbria
  • Winemaking: Spontaneous fermentation; 6-day skin maceration; aged in cement until spring bottling; no added sulfur; unfiltered and unfined
  • Serving: Serve at 55-60F; no decanting needed; drink now
  • Pairing: Charcuterie, tomato-based pasta, aged pecorino, grilled vegetables, cured meats
  • Similar To: For fans of Gamay and Frappato who want something low-alcohol, savory, and textured

Cepparu is a red blend of Vernaccia Rossa and Montepulciano grown on calcareous clay soils at roughly 400 meters elevation in Umbria. The vines at Piccolo Podere del Ceppaiolo are up to 70 years old, and the total planted area for red grapes is approximately one hectare. The wine is labeled IGT Umbria.

Fermentation is spontaneous with six days of skin maceration. After fermentation, the wine ages in cement until bottling in the spring. No sulfur is added at any stage, and the wine is neither filtered nor fined.

At 11.5% ABV, this is a light-bodied red with bright acidity and a crunchy, fresh character. The short maceration keeps tannins low and preserves the lifted red-fruit and savory notes that Danilo Marcucci's reds are known for.

Vernaccia Rossa is a rare Umbrian red variety, distinct from the white Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Paired with Montepulciano, which contributes color and gentle structure, the combination produces a wine that is more about energy and drinkability than weight or extraction.

Serve slightly chilled alongside charcuterie, a plate of cured meats and aged sheep's milk cheese, or a simple tomato-based pasta. The wine's bright acidity and low tannin also make it a natural match for grilled vegetables and herb-forward dishes.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Light Body
Grapes:, Vernaccia Rossa, Montepulciano
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2018
Alcohol:, 11.5%
Country:, Italy
Region:, Umbria
Appellation:, IGT Umbria
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.


Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package, carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older.


Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.


Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.


Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.


Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice-packs upon request. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.


Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

Ceppaiolo

Piccolo Podere del Ceppaiolo is run by Danilo Marcucci and his collaborator Riccardo Pennaforti. The estate totals 1.7 hectares, with approximately one hectare planted to red varieties including Vernaccia Rossa and Montepulciano, and the remainder planted to white Umbrian varieties such as Trebbiano, Malvasia Bianca, Grechetto, and the rare Fumaiola. Vines are up to 70 years old. The property sits along a quiet road in Umbria, watched over by the Apennine Mountains.

No synthetic chemicals are used in the vineyard. The cellar is a stone shed fitted with original 1950s equipment, including an old vertical press that Danilo and Riccardo continue to use. There is no electricity on the property. Danilo Marcucci is widely known in Italian natural wine circles as an advisor to producers across the country on making balanced wines without added sulfur or synthetic additives.

All wines from Ceppaiolo are made with spontaneous fermentation from ambient yeasts. Maceration periods are short, preserving freshness and keeping alcohol naturally low. Aging vessels are cement. No sulfur is added at any point, and wines are released unfiltered and unfined. Danilo describes Ceppaiolo as the place where he makes wine entirely on his own terms.

Wine region

Umbria, Italy

Umbria is Italy's only landlocked region on the peninsula, bordered by Tuscany to the north and west, Marche to the east, and Lazio to the south. The region sits across the central Apennines, with vineyards typically planted on hillsides between 200 and 600 meters elevation. Soils vary but calcareous clay is common, providing good water retention and mineral character. The climate is continental with warm summers and cold winters, moderated by altitude and forest cover.

Umbria holds 13 DOC and 2 DOCG designations. The two DOCGs are Sagrantino di Montefalco, made from the tannic, deeply pigmented Sagrantino grape grown around the village of Montefalco, and Torgiano Rosso Riserva, anchored by Sangiovese south of Perugia. Orvieto DOC, built on Grechetto and Trebbiano, is the region's best-known white appellation. Wines made from indigenous varieties outside recognized appellations carry the IGT Umbria designation, which applies to Cepparu.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

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