The name 'a mano', meaning handmade, was a declaration of Mark
Shannon and Elvezia Sbalchiero's mission in creating a wine from Puglia's
indigenous Primitivo variety. Mark, a born and bred Californian, fell in love
with Puglia and “after years of technical winemaking, had almost forgotten
that the right way to make wine is with love”. Together, their winning
combination of passionate professionalism and Puglian tradition and terroir
helped winelovers understand the potential of Primitivo. Around the same
time, researchers discovered that Primitivo shares the same DNA as
California's popular Zinfandel, both originating from the shores of the
Adriatic.
