Primitivo from Puglia

This month's Italian wine focus was on Puglia, the heel of the Italian peninsula's boot.

The best known Puglian red grape variety is Primitivo, a grape that has a close relationship to Zinfandel. Both Primitivo and Zinfandel are descended from a common ancestor: the Croatian grape Crljenak. Zinfandel is identical to Crljenak, while Primitivo is a clone of Crljenak. You can find more information about the mysterious identity of Zinfandel and the genetic decoding of it by clicking here.

I used to drink a lot of Zin, but in recent years I've found them overwhelming and difficult to pair with food. So I was intrigued to see what an Italian Primitivo would be like.

The 2007 Petraio Primitivo was proof that you can make a wine with this group of grapes that comes in at around 13% alc/vol--and that it's a good thing when it does. There were faint raspberry and chalk aromas that were restrained and opened up slowly with air. These were followed by crisp blackberry fruit, some spice, and a nice acidity at the core that will make it a great pair for pasta with red sauce or pizza.

Best of all is the price. With a suggested retail of $8.50, this wine is guaranteed to please for a budget price and represents very good QPR. This is a new vintage, but expect to see it soon at stores such as Specs (where you can find the 2005 vintage). For more information on when and where it might become available near you, contact the importer, The Marchetti Company.

Full Disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.

Seaside Whites from Puglia--Drink Them Young

Today I've got the first of my Puglian wines to share with you.

I tried a white wine, the 2005 Botromagno from Gravina. I paid just over $10 for it in a local grocery store, and you can find various vintages for $7-$16. My advice to you is this: buy the youngest wine you can, from the most recent vintage. Why? Well, I don't know much about wine from Puglia but I suspected that this bottle was just a bit over the hill.

The wine is made from a blend of Greco and Malvasia grapes, and had faint aromas of almonds, minerals, and lemon all of which were echoed in the flavors. It reminded me a bit of Fino Sherry, and made me wonder if the wine wasn't oxidized just a bit. There was a bitter acidity in the aftertaste, too.

As a result it was impossible to assess QPR on this wine. My suspicion is that a 2007 bottling would be fresh, lemony, and lively--and perfect with oysters, which are very popular in Puglia. So I'll have to try to get myself another bottle of this wine and reserve QPR judgement until then.

April in Puglia--My Wine Tour of Italy Continues

This month I'm headed to Puglia, the heel of Italy's boot, to drink some fresh seaside whites and some zesty reds. (photo by psd)

Known in ancient times as Apulia--a name you will still see used for the region today--it's a region that remains largely unknown to outsiders and remains close to its agricultural roots. Olives, almonds, and grapes are some of the crops grown in Puglia. It may be a lesser-known region, but it is a productive one. Puglia makes more wine than any other region in Italy and ties with Sicily for the most grapes grown in Italy.

Where does all that juice go? It used to be that Puglia's grapes went into Vermouth. Lately, Puglia's growers have been saving more of the juice to make regional wines. Notable among them are wines made with the native Primitivo di Manduria--which we call Zinfandel here in the US. But that's not the only red produced in Puglia. One of my favorite grapes, Negroamaro, is also grown here. And Puglia makes white wines too, including bottlings that use Malvasia, Trebbiano, and Chardonnay. (photo by Andrea Rinaldi)

If you've familiar with the wines of Puglia, I hope you leave a note here with recommendations and accounts of your experiences. And if you're new to the region's viticultural bounty (like me) why not look for a wine from Puglia to go with your next pizza or pasta dinner? I've got two red wines (one Primitivo, one a Primitivo/ Negroamaro blend), as well as a white wine to share with you. As always, I'll try to get some regional recipes to go with them but this is usually the thing that falls off my to-do list!