Hi! I’m Nancy Waldeck with Taste and Savor’s Weeknight Wines – we’re thrilled you’ve joined us today!
Are you planning to grill out for the 4th? Or as my friends in the Northeast say, BBQ? I have one wine word for you: Primitivo.
Three reasons to enjoy Primitivo this weekend:
1) You are serving up your grilled meat with tomato based bbq sauce – Primitivo’s spiciness and fruit forward flavor is going to go great with the zingy sauce. And even without sauce – It’s the perfect deep dark red wine perfect for any smoky delicious meat off the grill – and will even pair well with grilled veggies like eggplant, peppers or onions and corn.
2) You like Zinfandel – In the early 19th Century, the variety was introduced to the United States, under the name Zinfandel. It proved extremely successful there, earning a reputation as the American ‘national grape’. It caused significant consternation on both sides of the Atlantic when DNA analysis proved that Zinfandel and Primitivo were the same variety. More about Primitivo’s home in just a minute!
3) You are sharing your 4th festivities with others. Primitivo remains a solid value, with many entry-level bottles clocking in at the $12 – 15 price range
Interestingly for a European or Old World wine – wines that are usually named by the place they are from instead of the grape that’s in the bottle – Primitivo is the name of the grape and the wine. In Italian, the name Primitivo translates roughly as “early one” referring to the fact that it’s one of the first grapes to ripen in the vineyard. Primitivo’s modern day home is the Puglia region in Southern Italy – the heel of the boot.
If you’ve been watching Weeknight Wines for a while, you’ll know that I have yet to find any part of Italy not worth a visit. In fact, you should not worry at all going to one of the lesser known regions. You will still find a wealth of beautiful historic places, outstanding handcrafts, friendly people, great Italian food, and of course excellent wines. Puglia is one of these places, and in recent years has increase in popularity in tourism and the tasty wines from Puglia like this Primitivo.
But Puglia it not this wine’s first home – Primitivo probably arrived to Puglia from the coastal vineyards of Croatia where one of its names is Tribidrag!
So, let’s take a look at the wine in the glass, and I’ll tell you a little more about this one in particular.
Color: Ruby
Aroma: Black Cherries and Blackberry marmalade, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves
Taste: It tastes like it smells – jammy blackberries, and baking spices with a nice, long finish. I can feel the tannin on my front teeth, but not too much and its low to medium acidity
This wine is from Botter, a producer that in the past, I have associated with one of my favorite regions of Italy, the Veneto and its sparkling wine Prosecco. How fun to discover this easy drinker, who I know now also makes wine all over Italy including Sicily. This wine is organic, and you’ll be able to spot it quickly because it has a lovely and fun label featuring the natural environment where the grapes are grown.
I purchased it at Total wine for about $15. Serve it up at about 60 to 65F – about 15 to 20 minutes in the fridge before you enjoy it, especially if you are enjoying it outside on the 4th! Not only fare from the grill, but hard or mature cheeses like cheddar or gouda are super with Primitivo.
I hope you enjoyed hearing about one of my favorite wines to pair with the grill and summer fun with friends. Until the next Weeknight Wine, I’m Nancy Waldeck, you can find me at tasteandsavor.com where you can also discover my Fall 2021 Trips to Northern Italy and Sicily. Cheers to Weeknight Wines!