Hello wine lovers and happy wine Wednesday!  I hope you are keeping well and having a great week.  I am not sure how you feel but I am really enjoying watching the Christmas lights brighten up the neighbourhoods!

This post is the first of its’ kind in so far as I have never reviewed a wine made from the Negroamaro grape before.  Also – this bottle of wine and 5 others were very nicely shipped to me for a tasting and a review.  The company wasn’t able to ship to Canada so I asked for it to be sent to Point Roberts, Washington – again – this was another first for me.  I thought I was going to receive a bottle or two and to my surprise I had six bottles staring up at me from inside the box.  What a nice surprise!

I did have to pay duty on the wine as it was considered ‘commercial’ which was no problem.  I didn’t really know what I was getting into and the border guard was actually helpful and nice…not always the case! On the review block today is Masseria Altemura’s Negroamaro 2011.

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Negroamaro is a grape native to southern Italy, specifically Puglia.  Roughly translated it means ‘black bitter’.  It has the reputation of being a ‘rustic’ wine but I beg to differ…This is a dry red Italian glass full of yum.  It is deep ruby in the glass with aromas of violets, dried herbs, red fruit and some sweet vanilla.  On the palate, this Negroamaro is dry, with medium minus acidity, medium plus body and medium alcohol.  The tannins are a bit course but not drying or unpleasant. The flavour profile is a nice, round medium intensity with flavours again of ripe red cherry and strawberry, vanilla, dried herbs and chocolate with a medium finish.  Did I say yum?

This wine is a pleasure to drink.  I did some research and tracked it down through the B.C. liquor board and I found it at four stores in Vancouver and a few spattered throughout the province.  It retails for $23.99!  This a a great wine to try for an ‘adventures in wine’ evening with friends.

  • A GGG “Hell Yes” for something unexpected and interesting.
  • Pair this fantastic red with grilled red meats and sausages or a tomato and beef pasta dish.
  • A truly nice surprise!

That is it for me this week!

Enjoy!

XO
C