Negroamaro

Like Primitivo, Negroamaro makes rich dark reds around Puglia in Italy’s southern heel. But unlike Primitivo, Negroamaro doesn’t ripen till mid-season so can develop slightly more complex flavours. Like its best-known form - the Salice Salentino DOC - Negroamaros may be satisfyingly ripe and dark-fruited but also have a lot else going on, from earthy and mineral layers to exotic spices and leather, with lesser examples letting herbal notes get a medicinal edge. Such a raft of savoury/spicy themes may have earned the inaccurate term ‘bitter’ (amaro) in the name, but in general they ensure good Negroamaro can be far greater than the sum of its price-tag.