red grape · regional staple
Negroamaro
Salento peninsula, Puglia, Italy
Say it
neh·groh·ah·mah·roh
Four syllables, each vowel distinct; stress on third syllable MAH; final -o open
On the palate
black cherryblack plumblackberryfigtobaccolicorice
How you spot it blind: dry, savory bitter finish that literally echoes the grape's name
The story
First written down · 1872, Puglia (first written ampelographic record per Wine Dharma; single source)
In 1943 Leone de Castris produced 'Five Roses' from Negroamaro at the request of Allied forces in Puglia, creating Italy's first commercially bottled rosé.
Family tree: Maiolica × unknown
Where it lives
Salento, Puglia, Italy · Lecce province, Italy · Brindisi province, Italy · Taranto province, Italy
Shows up as
still redrosésparkling roséSalice Salentino DOCCopertino DOCBrindisi DOC
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PrimitivoAglianico →