How to pour
a negroamaro in
Serve negroamaro at 16 to 18 degrees, cooler than a heated room. Place the bottle in the refrigerator about an hour before pouring. With a wine that has a bitter finish, this works both ways: too warm, the bitterness comes through harshly; at the right temperature, it stays balanced.
Cut all the way around the capsule below the raised ring on the neck and wipe the rim clean. Place the spiral in the center of the cork and turn it straight down. Some of these bottles now have a screw cap, in which case you can skip this step.
A young negroamaro benefits from air. Pour the bottle into a decanter and give it half an hour; this makes its taut, dry side rounder and brings the black fruit to the fore. If you don’t have a decanter, pour a glass and let it stand for a moment before tasting.
Pour until the glass is about one-third full. Use the space above to swirl the wine; that’s where the laurel, tobacco, and earthy notes are released. With just a little in the glass, the wine also stays at the right temperature for longer.
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The story
Negroamaro grows in Puglia, especially in Salento, the narrow southern part of the heel of the Italian boot. It is warm there, with the sea on two sides, and the grape produces deeply colored wines with firm acidity and a dry, bitter finish. Together with primitivo, it defines the character of the region, but the two are opposites: primitivo is round and ripe, while negroamaro is taut and spicy. The best-known designation is Salice Salentino, named after the town of Salice Salentino. In addition, negroamaro is the classic grape for rosato, the Italian rosé, in Puglia.
The right glass
Negroamaro calls for a tall bowl that tapers towards the top. The wine has firm acidity and a bitter finish, which are better balanced in a tall glass than in a broad bowl, where the aroma disperses and the alcohol comes to the fore. The tapered rim directs the bay leaf and tobacco towards your nose. For the sizes, see the red wine glasses; for the half hour of air a young bottle benefits from, see the models in the decanters.
Schott Zwiesel Classico Bordeaux glass 64.5 cl (6 pieces)
Schott Zwiesel Banquet Bordeaux glass 60 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 77,65.
The right tools
For a negroamaro, besides the glass, you mainly need a corkscrew and a decanter to give a young bottle the half hour of air it benefits from. Use the bar tools below as soon as a glass of red goes into a mixed drink: a bar spoon to stir and a citrus press for the juice. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 72,85.
What do you serve alongside it?
Negroamaro belongs with the main course, but the rest of the table calls for something else. These are the wines that pair well alongside it, from the rosé made from the same grape to a glass of crémant to start. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails pair with it and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Salice Salentino is the best-known name, usually based on negroamaro and often blended with some malvasia nera, which adds a little softness and aroma. There is also rosato: in Puglia, rosé made from negroamaro is an old tradition, not a passing fad, and these wines are deeper in color and fuller in flavor than a light Provençal rosé. And if you want to taste the difference within the region, put a bottle next to a Primitivo: the same sunshine, a completely different glass. Want to read more? View all drinks and brands.
Serving tip
Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and give a young bottle half an hour to breathe. Negroamaro goes well with grilled lamb, orecchiette with sausage and bitter leafy greens, oven-baked aubergine and hard sheep's cheese. Its bitter finish and earthy character call for food that also has a bit of an edge; with something sweet or soft, it tends to overpower.
Good to know
What the name means
The most common explanation is that negroamaro says the same thing twice: negro means black and amaro means bitter, the two characteristics that stand out in this wine. You can see it in the color, which is almost opaque, and taste it in the finish, which ends dry and slightly bitter. There are other explanations for the name, but this is the accepted one.
The difference from Primitivo
That is the essence. Primitivo is round, ripe and soft, with plum and black cherry and a hint of sweetness from its high ripeness. Negroamaro is firmer and drier, with more acidity, more spice and a bitter finish. They come from the same region and often sit next to each other on the shelf, but they are very different on the table. Many bottles from Puglia are actually a blend of the two.
Salice Salentino
Salice Salentino is the best-known designation for this grape, named after the town of the same name in Salento. The red wines are based on negroamaro, often supplemented with malvasia nera, which adds some aroma and softness. If the label only says Salento or Puglia, the bottle is usually more straightforward and lighter in style.
Negroamaro rosato
In Puglia, rosé made from negroamaro is traditional. The grapes remain on the skins briefly, just long enough to develop color, and the result is deeper in color and fuller in flavor than a pale Provençal rosé: red fruit, a spicy note and the same dry finish. Drink it cooler than the red version, at 8 to 10 degrees.
How much alcohol it contains
Negroamaro usually contains roughly 13 to 14 percent alcohol, slightly less than a full-bodied primitivo from the same region. That's because it retains its acidity better and is harvested less for pure ripeness. The exact percentage is stated on the label.
Frequently asked questions
What does the name negroamaro mean?
The usual explanation is that the name says the same thing twice: negro means black and amaro means bitter. That fits the wine, which is almost opaque and very dark, and finishes dry and slightly bitter. Other explanations circulate, but this is the one mentioned most often.
What is the difference between negroamaro and primitivo?
They both come from Puglia, but they taste completely different. Primitivo is round and ripe, with plum, black cherry and a hint of sweetness from its high ripeness, and has little tannin for its weight. Negroamaro is tighter and drier, with more acidity, bay leaf, tobacco and an earthy note, and finishes bitter. Many bottles from the region are a blend of both grapes.
Where does negroamaro come from?
From Puglia, in southeastern Italy, and within that region especially from Salento. The best-known designation is Salice Salentino, named after the town of Salice Salentino. You will also see Salento and Puglia listed as the origin on the label.
At what temperature and in what glass should you serve negroamaro?
At 16 to 18 degrees, in a tall 60 cl or larger glass that tapers toward the top. That's cooler than room temperature, so put the bottle in the fridge an hour before serving. Serve the rosato made from the same grape cooler, at 8 to 10 degrees.
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