Varietal: 100% Primitivo
Region: Italy – Manduria
Cost: $10 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Red in color with aromas of cherry, strawberry and spices. Fresh and balanced on the palate with evenly distributed minerals and fine tannins, with notes of fruit and cinnamon in the finish. Pairs well with cheese, tomato-based pasta dishes, BBQ, and spicy entrees such as chili.
My Review: I’ve only had Primitivo a few times, so when I received this sample I was very interested to try it, especially given as how my wife and I usually look towards tomato-based pasta dishes when we’re looking for a quick and easy dinner. Last night was no exception to that, so this bottle got opened.
In the glass the wine was a nice red color, and I definitely got aromas of cherry and strawberry, both of which carried through to the palate along with a jammyness that I typically associate with Zinfandel. I bring up Zinfandel because Primitivo is a relative of Zinfandel and is often referred to as Italy’s Zinfandel.
Taking a hint from the tasting notes, my wife and I made a dinner of baked penne pasta in a tomato sauce with some meatballs and topped with some mozzarella cheese. The flavors of the wine paired well with the dish, but if I had one complaint about the wine is that I was hoping for some more body or oomph out of it.
A bit later as the bottle opened up I got some more boldness out of it, along with a musty/footy note that I didn’t find unappealing, but overall while I didn’t dislike the wine, it just didn’t blow me away. Would I drink it again? Sure. Would I choose it over something new? Probably not. I’m not going to say avoid this wine, but if you’re looking for something a bit bigger to pair with a meal, you might want to look at something else. If you do want to try the 2009 Vivi Primitivo (and I’d love to hear your opinion on it if you do…maybe I was just being picky), and you can’t find it at your local store, you can follow this link to have some shipped to your home or office.
