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Cantina Martinelli

Il Gigante Soave 2018

Price: $26.95
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Tasting notes

This is one of the rare Soaves that actually smells and tastes like its hillside: lychee, dried apricot, and a mineral salinity that traces back directly to the volcanic basalt soils in Fittà. At 12.5% ABV it stays nimble and precise, with acidity that keeps every sip moving.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
LycheeDried ApricotBread DoughSaline Mineral
  • Style: Dry, light-bodied white; lychee, dried apricot, saline mineral finish; 12.5% ABV
  • Grapes & Terroir: 100% Garganega; organic and biodynamic; volcanic basalt soils; Fittà, Soave Classico; 300m elevation; vines 35-65 years old
  • Winemaking: Hand-harvested; spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts; stainless steel aging; unfined, unfiltered; 40 mg/L SO2
  • Serving: Serve at 48-52F; no decant needed; drink within 3-5 years of vintage
  • Pairing: Grilled branzino, linguine alle vongole, steamed mussels, fresh goat cheese, prosciutto e melone
  • Similar To: For fans of mineral-driven whites like Muscadet, Chablis, or Greco di Tufo

Il Gigante is made from 100% Garganega grown on a cru of east-facing volcanic basalt slopes in Fittà, in the northernmost part of the Soave Classico zone, at roughly 300 meters above sea level. The three vineyard plots are surrounded by 1.5 hectares of forest, which provides natural moisture retention, eliminating the need for irrigation. Vines were first planted between 1950 and 1982, putting them at 35 to 65 years of age at harvest.

Cantina Martinelli has farmed these vineyards using organic and biodynamic practices since 2015, with no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Grapes are harvested by hand and fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged in stainless steel, then bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with minimal sulfite addition at 40 mg/L.

The 2018 vintage shows aromas of lychee, acacia, white stone fruit, and a subtle note of black olive. On the palate it is dry and racy, with candied citrus zest, dried apricot, and a faint hint of bread dough from lees contact. The basalt soils come through clearly as a saline, mineral backbone.

A natural match for grilled branzino, linguine alle vongole, or steamed mussels, where the wine's salinity mirrors the sea. Also works well alongside fresh goat cheese, zucchini fritters, or a simple plate of prosciutto and melon.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, White Wine
Wine Style:, Light Body
Grapes:, Garganega
Farming:, Organic and Biodynamic
Vintage:, 2018
Alcohol:, 12.5%
Country:, Italy
Region:, Veneto
Appellation:, Soave DOC
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

Cantina Martinelli

Cantina Martinelli was founded in 2016 by Francesco Martinelli (born 1978), who grew up on a property his father Dario purchased in 1995 in Fittà, within the Soave Classico zone. Dario, a biologist and philosopher, bought the land originally as a place for yoga and contemplation. Francesco took over the winemaking project and built it around a single cru of Garganega in Caucciolo, between Fittà and Castelcerino, with the estate operating across roughly three hectares of old vines and surrounding forest.

The vineyards sit on east-facing volcanic basalt slopes at approximately 300 meters above sea level. Vine age ranges from 35 to 65 years, with the oldest plots dating to 1950. A 1.5-hectare woodland at the center of the property retains moisture and supports biodiversity, allowing the vines to go without irrigation. Organic and biodynamic farming practices have been in place since 2015, with no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers used.

Grapes are hand-harvested and undergo spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Wines are aged in stainless steel vats to preserve freshness and mineral character. Bottling is unfined and unfiltered, with minimal sulfite addition. Cantina Martinelli is a member of VinNatur, the Italian association of natural wine producers.

Wine region

Veneto, Italy

Soave is a white wine appellation located in the province of Verona, in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy, roughly 20 kilometers east of the city. The production zone sits where the flat Po Valley plains give way to the Alpine foothills of the Lessini mountains, with hillside vineyards extending from the town of Soave east to Monteforte d'Alpone. The climate is continental with warm summers and autumn mists rolling in from the Po Valley, which Garganega's thick skin handles well.

The Soave DOC was granted in 1968 and requires a minimum of 70% Garganega in the blend. The most prized wines come from the Classico subzone, first delineated in 1927, which covers hillside vineyards with volcanic basalt soils in the heartland around Soave town. These volcanic soils impart a distinctive mineral, saline character that separates Classico-zone wines from those grown on the alluvial plains. Alongside the DOC, a Soave Superiore DOCG designation exists for wines from the highest-quality tier, and the Recioto di Soave DOCG covers sweet, passito-style wines made from dried Garganega.

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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