Negroamaro

Full-bodied and brimming with dark fruit, Negroamaro actually doesn’t taste much like what its name indicates, “black and bitter.” Instead it is typically smooth on the palate and brimming with sweet fruit like baked plum or raspberry jam, accented with sweet aromas like cinnamon and anise. This dark-skinned southern Italian grape variety is found on the eastern half of the Salento peninsula, which is the backside of Italy’s “boot heel” and part of the Puglia region. Negroamaro forms the base, along with Malvasia Nera and Primitivo, for the best wine of the area, called Salice Salentino. It can also produce single varietal reds as well as some impressive aromatic rosé wines.

Tasting Notes for Negroamaro

Negroamaro is a dry red wine that shows a nice play of red to dark fruit—cherry, raspberry, black currant, plum—and finishes with a sweet spice or herbaceous suggestions of thyme, menthol or basil.

Perfect Food Pairings for Negroamaro

Pair Negroamaro with simple pizza or pasta, pulled pork, Texas-style smoked ribs and teriyaki.

Sommelier Secrets for Negroamaro

Negroamaro is truly an Italian wine–no propagation of the grape is found anywhere else outside of Italy.