It has been a long time since Stefano Spagnolo of Salento Wine Shop told me about his beloved Salento and portrayed it to me as a land capable of producing extraordinary rosé wines. So he sent me 6 labels of these Apulian rosé wines and the first thing I thought when I saw (and tasted) one in particular was, 'man, if Akiyoshi tasted these he would fall in love with them! Akiyoshi is a Japanese customer of mine, and when I talk to Federico who works with him he often tells me the Italian wine market trends in Japan.
I know that Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo is one of the most fortunate labels for being a rosé wine that is similar in structure and colour to a red wine, but is drunk chilled. In fact, the rosé wines from Puglia also have this characteristic, with the difference that they tend to be more complex and finer on the nose. They are sometimes unfairly compared to Provençal rosé wines, a comparison that really doesn't make any sense since it is like comparing fiordilatte ice cream with lemon ice cream just because both flavours are white.
Stefano sent me 5 labels of Negroamaro and 1 label of Primitivo, all selling for under €10. Since this was the first time I had tasted Apulian rosé wines with the intention of writing about them, I decided to do a first tasting and then do a second one the following day so that my mouth would be more 'accustomed' to this type of wine. The impressions of the previous day were on the whole confirmed, I only inverted the two Negroamaros on the podium: in the end the Rosarò prevailed because the Metiusco, despite being absolutely extraordinary on the nose, I found it slightly less consistent in the mouth. One of these Negroamaros turned out to be 'unclassifiable' and truly terrible, but of the series it had been years since I had tasted a wine so badly made, and out of respect for the work of the people behind it I will not mention the name.
Now the tastings, in order of appreciation.
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Apulian rosé wines: Rosarò 2017
Negroamaro 100% | From vineyards located in Guagnano with vines up to 35 years old grown on espalier trellises | 13% vol
It is a beautiful cherry pink, softer than the others, with pleasant bronze hues. The colour is truly inviting. The nose is exceptional, with notes of Greek yoghurt with a drop of acacia honey, cumin, strawberries, karkedé, hibiscus flowers, unsweetened whipped cream, violets, and Phalaenopsis Liodoro orchid. In the mouth, it shows great consistency with the nose and behaves well: very fresh, ample, persistent and long, savoury but nevertheless balanced. Even on its own it gives great satisfaction.
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Apulian rosé wines: Metiusco 2017
Negroamaro 100% | Apulian bush-trained vines | 13% vol
Intense, bright cherry pink, the nose denotes great structure. The nose is very pleasant and rich, with notes of strawberry yoghurt, pink pepper, sage, salted butter, cumin, oyster, rose flowers and an almost honeyed finish. In the mouth it is very structured, the taste is quite consistent with the aromas but simpler. Quite horizontal, but more shifted to freshness. The finish is savoury, indeed very savoury and fruity. Persistent and with a nice length. Its savouriness makes it perfect with chicken, duck, goose, shellfish, a good sweet ham.
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.Apulian rosé wines: Aka 2017
Primitivo 100% | From vineyards located in Manduria with vines up to 40 years old grown using the Apulian alberello system | 13% vol
Brilliant cherry pink. The nose is very rich and sweet, with notes of raspberry jam, yellow peach, blackberry, vanilla, lightly sweetened whipped cream and wild strawberries. In the mouth it is very pleasant and shows great consistency with the nose, with notes of yellow peach and blackberry becoming even riper. Justly savoury and very fresh. Its easy drinking and being a discreet companion makes it perfect for all kinds of modern sushi and sashimi.
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Apulian rosé wines: Tenuta Paraida 2017
Negroamaro 100% | From vineyards located in the Copertino countryside with vines up to 30 years old grown using the Apulian alberello system | 13% vol
Slightly fainter cherry pink, very bright. The nose is very fresh and betrays a slightly earlier harvest than the ripening curve, which also makes it simpler. Spicy notes prevail, and hints of chilli pepper and sage are discernible. In the mouth, there is great consistency to the nose, and it too is spicy and vertical. Overall, it is less savoury than the previous one. Its easy drinking and discreet length make it perfect for an excellent aperitif, with many appetisers, cheeses and cured meats of all kinds, even very mature ones.
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Apulian rosé wines: Myère 2017 - Michele Calò
Negroamaro 90%, Malvasia Nera Leccese 10% | From vineyards located in Tuglie with Apulian bush-trained vines | 13% vol
Very intense and bright coral pink. On the nose, it is very lacking in aromas compared to the others, but it is still fine, in fact all about strawberry and its variations, with a finish of white chocolate and caper flowers. In the mouth it is very coherent, but I was still disappointed by its excessive simplicity and its not being perfectly clean. The finish is non-existent, but it is certainly easy drinking and remains fresh. Not a rosé wine I would recommend, but I reserve the right to try another vintage. I cannot really blame the weather as the other rosé wines I tasted were excellent, but there was probably something wrong with the timing of the harvest.
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In short, thank you Stefano for giving me a little piece of your Salento. I hope to visit you soon and discover its wonders... and have a nice relaxing week on its fabulous beaches! I haven't been to Salento for a long time now... I spent a wonderful holiday there with one of my two best friends, Marco... many years ago!
And now I'm off to get ready because the first video of my new channel on IGTV I decided to make in honour of the Romantic Night of Monte Isola... cheers <3
Chiara
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