The Negro Amaro Grape

(Synonyms: Abruzzese, Albese, Jonico, Lacrima, Negroamaro, Nigroamaro, Purcinara, Uva Olivella)

Background

Negro Amaro is a red-wine grape originating in the Puglia region of southern Italy, most notably in the Salento area. It may have been brought to the region as early as the 7th century B.C. from Illyria (a region, and people, then located in the western Balkans). Though the grape (and wine) are often written as one word, Negroamaro, the proper name of both is two words, Negro Amaro, and that’s what we call it here.

Nowadays, Negro Amaro is an important grape of the region; it is sometimes bottled as a monovarietal, but is more often found as the dominant ingredient in regional red blends (such as Salice Salentino), along with Malvasia Nera and sometimes some Sangiovese or Montepulciano. It is also sometimes vinified as a “rosato” (rosé), and may be “frizzante” (slightly sparkling).

Negro Amaro typically produces red wines of deep color with a richly perfumed nose and an earthy quality, sometimes said to have an overtone of bitterness (though that is likely subjective, since in Italian amaro means “bitter”, even though the name component is thought to be from Greek maru or mavro, meaning “black”, and the wines are rarely if ever even slightly bitter). The tannins are usually light or “soft”.

Factoid: Negro Amaro may be loosely related to Sangiovese and the white type Verdicchio.

Some Descriptions of Negro Amaro Wines

Wikipedia
“The grape can produce wines very deep in color. Wines made from Negroamaro tend to be very rustic in character, combining perfume with an earthy bitterness. The grape produces some of the best red wines of Puglia, particularly when blended with the highly scented Malvasia Nera, as in the case of Salice Salentino.”
Wine Searcher
“Negroamaro is valued for its deep color, medium-full tannins and dark berryfruit flavors. The variety can also add earthen tones that can cross over into slightly medicinal flavors. It is mildly aromatic and can produce complex wines that show characteristics of ground brown spices such as clove, cinnamon and allspice.”
Bill Zacharkiw, Montreal Gazette
“The two words that immediately come to mind when I drink a bottle of negroamaro are power and rusticity…The [typically high] alcohol is a sign of grapes that get very ripe, and the fruit and aromatics are definitely those of a hot climate vine. I often find notes of jam, prunes and other dried fruits. But there is also a very earthy component with notes of black olive, tobacco and leather. And like most grapes that are quite tannic, they usually have to spend some time in oak barrels to soften them up, which adds an element of spice. But this range of aromas and flavours can mean that the wines, when made entirely with negroamaro, can be a bit sombre. This is why the grape is often blended with brighter, or fruitier grapes that can liven up the ensemble. One of the appellations that does this with great success is Salice Salentino, where negroamaro is blended with the aromatic malvasia nero. The end result is quite powerful wines.”
Michael Apstein, Wine Review on Line
“It’s a robust red that’s not tannic or astringent even when young, and has an appealing bitter black cherry finish. This makes it a complete contrast to the many over-ripe New World wines that finish sweet, and a great choice for the remainder of the ‘grilling season’ or to pair with hearty wintery fare…Duccio Armenio, from Slow Food and an expert on Negroamaro,…describes the wines made from Negroamaro as ‘harmonious and complete’ because the color, alcohol, polyphenols and acidity always comes together. ‘Its polyphenolic content is comparable to Barolo,’ according to Armenio. ‘But despite the high polyphenols, it’s a versatile grape that can make early drinking or ageable reds, a rosato, as well as an Amarone-like wine.’”
Cork Quiz
“Single variety Negroamaro wines are a deep purple in color, characterized as bold, intense and ‘weighty’. The fruit flavors are typically plum, cherry, and blackberry. Occasionally the wine may exhibit earth notes or even medicinal flavors. Negroamaro may be at its best when blended with Malvasia Nera, Sangiovese, or Montepulciano. Blending with these varieties can add tannins, resulting in a wine with more structure and age worthiness. This is a big wine, and should be paired with food that can hold its own. Its biggest asset may be its price tag – delicious and affordable.”
DiWine Taste
“Negroamaro has a good content in coloring substances, quality which is evidently shown in its wines with intense and brilliant colors, as well as a medium-low transparency. Also the content in polyphenols is good, giving the wines a medium astringency which can sometimes be quite evident, in particular when the wine is fermented or aged in cask. The structure of Negroamaro wines is of good body and also the alcohol volume is not low, reaching a quantity that can sometimes be higher than 14%.”
The Ravenous Traveler
“As for flavor profile, wines made with Negroamaro are light to medium bodied, with sun-soaked fruit that can be dried, dark, and bright all at the same time, and the mouthfeel is striking: it feels, at times, like you’re drinking silk. Other common flavors are smoke, plum, and herbs. These wines are intensly friendly and approachable.”
Sally Easton, MW, Wine Wisdom
“As to its flavour, said Luigi Rubino, of his eponymous estate, and president of the Puglia Best Wine Consortium, ‘you can feel the true character of negroamaro – it’s rich in spicy notes, red fruits and blackberry.’ Armenio added it also ‘has spicy notes, tobacco, coffee and dried prunes, and like all big wines, they need some years to come out.’ The tannins of this variety, which ripens later than primitivo, are not to be trifled with. Marco Sabellico editor of Gambero Rosso added that the heritage of old negroamaro vines was very important for the ageworthy character of the best examples. Vineyards of 50 to 90 years old are quite common.”
Zagat Wine
“Negroamaro gives deeply colored, richly flavored wines, full of character. The finest examples have a dark, bitter chocolate quality (hence the name), but with abundant plum, prune and savory complexity to balance. Some of the best come from Salice Salentino and Squinzano, down in the ‘heel’ of Italy’s boot. The grape is often blended with Malvesia Nera and Primitvo (southern Italy’s other star reds), for a richer complexity and softness.”
Eric Asimov, The New York Times
“It’s fair to say we had mixed feelings about these wines. For me, the best were straightforward and uncomplicated, earthy and refreshingly bitter with smoky flavors that reminded me of licorice and dark fruit…The bigger question was why more of the wines weren’t better. We all thought that in too many of the bottles, the characteristic dusty bitterness of the negroamaro grape had been sanded away, leaving wines that seemed generic expressions of nowhere. Was this evidence of an effort to tailor wines for an international audience? Hard to say, but discerning wine lovers want distinctiveness and character, which too often was lacking.”

Some Negro Amaros to Try

This is another fine variety not well represented in the U.S. retail market. There are certainly tons of Negroamaro bottlings out there, but almost all are either not that good, or only very scarcely available, or unduly expensive, or two or all three of those. Below is about the best reasonably priced lineup we could glean.

For a Splurge

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This page was last modified on Saturday, 30 October 2021, at 11:26 pm Pacific Time.

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