Professional chef and winemaker Pietro Buttitta has released his first vintage of wines for Prima Materia, his Bay Area winery and restaurant project. Buttitta is a respected authority on growing and making Italian cultivar wine in California. Prima Materia expands his Old World focus by releasing Cabernet Franc, Carmènére, Tinta Roriz, Mourvèdre, and Grenache wines.

Prima Materia’s alchemical theme celebrates both the tradition of winemaking and its connection to culinary history. These elements will both play key roles in Prima Materia, which will be an urban winery with a small restaurant inside. Buttitta will not only craft the wine, which will also be available on tap, but will also act as the chef, writing daily menus and cooking behind the stove every evening. Expect daily pastas, unique regional dishes from around the Mediterranean, and serious up-scale execution in a casual and affordable format with an array of Old World-styled non-mainstream varietal wines.

Buttitta has launched a wide range of Prima Materia events to support his project. They include monthly 5-course pop-up wine dinners in San Francisco, vintage previews and appetizer nights in the East Bay, and events to be announced in Oakland and San Francisco. Please visit www.prima-materia.co to learn more about the project and to access menus, reservations and upcoming event information.