The 2007 Primitivo Salento Artas, the estate’s top bottling, is a gorgeous, opulent wine that impresses for its effortless layers of fragrant, spiced fruit. Plums, cinnamon, new leather, flowers and licorice are some of the nuances that emerge from this rich, yet beautifully balanced red. Primitivo is the Italian equivalent of Zinfandel. The Artas does show slightly pronounced alcohol in this vintage, but not enough to detract from its overall balance. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2015. This year’s releases from Castello Monaci are quite good, but not as uniformly successful as they have been in recent years, particularly among the entry-level bottlings. Importer: Frederick Wildman and Sons Ltd, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700