$10 Tuesday: PietraLuna Negramaro 2006

Pietraluna

Negramaro del Salento 2006
Alcohol: 13%
Price: $9.60 (at Bin Ends)
Aromas: Raspberry, dulce de leche, blackberry, sour plum, licorice
Flavors: Blackberry, cinnamon stick, cherry, dust

Summary: This is our first Negramaro del Salento (the heel of the boot). Negro Amaro translates to "black and bitter" which sets the stage when sampling this wine for the first time. The ripe juicy nose with hints of herbal notes actually reminds me of some Greek wines we've had. There is a distinctive aroma I can't quite place (persimmon?) The body is light (a little flat in the mid-palate) with a spicy finish and acidity that melds nicely with a tomato sauce. It's tempting to want to serve this wine to with Tapas but, be advised: It really gets it's ass kicked by a salty garlic-stuffed olive in vinegar (maybe olives packed in oil would be a better choice). Overall, an interesting and affordable example of a lesser known sub-variety from Southern Italy.