Negroamaro: the dark grape of Salento
Negroamaro is a red grape grown almost exclusively in Puglia, above all on the Salento peninsula in the heel of Italy. The name is usually read as "black and bitter": negro means black, while amaro is taken either as the Italian word for bitter or as an echo of the Greek mavro, which also means black. Both fit the wine. Negroamaro makes deeply coloured reds with dark fruit, a hint of herbs and tobacco and a fine, slightly bitter edge on the finish that keeps the wine fresh despite the southern heat.
The grape is thick-skinned and vigorous, likes calcareous soils and copes with the long, dry summers of southern Puglia better than most varieties. Harvest usually runs from late September into early October. You can explore the full range from the region on our Puglia wine page.
Salice Salentino and the other Negroamaro DOCs
The best-known Negroamaro wine is Salice Salentino DOC from the provinces of Brindisi and Lecce. The red must contain at least 75 percent Negroamaro, rising to 90 percent when the grape is named on the label. The rest is often Malvasia Nera, which adds perfume and softness. A string of smaller Salento DOCs is built on Negroamaro too: Copertino, Squinzano, Brindisi, Leverano, Alezio, Nardò and Matino. Many producers still prefer the more flexible IGT Salento or IGT Puglia, where Negroamaro can appear on its own or in a blend.
A classic of the appellation is Leone de Castris' Salice Salentino Riserva Donna Lisa, and Mottura makes Salice Salentino Le Pitre.
Rosato, appassimento and Primitivo blends
Negroamaro is also one of Italy's key grapes for rosé. Leone de Castris' Five Roses, first made in 1943, is often cited as the first rosé bottled in Italy. Today Tormaresca's Calafuria is a good example of the pale, juicy Salento rosato, and you will find more among our rosé wines.
At the powerful end are wines from lightly dried grapes. Vallone lays its Negroamaro grapes out on mats to dry for Graticciaia, concentrating the fruit and building a fuller wine. Gianfranco Fino makes Jo from pure Negroamaro, and San Marzano is behind the generous F Negroamaro del Salento.
Negroamaro is often blended with Primitivo, Puglia's other great red grape. Primitivo brings ripe, round fruit and Negroamaro brings structure and freshness. If you like the rounder style, browse our Primitivo and Primitivo di Manduria selections.
Food pairing with Negroamaro wine
Red Negroamaro is made for flavourful food: grilled lamb and pork, sausages, lasagne, orecchiette with meat ragù and aged hard cheeses. Its bitter edge makes it a good match for tomato and grilled vegetables such as aubergine and peppers. The rosato suits grilled fish, shellfish, pizza and summer salads. The powerful appassimento wines can take game, braised beef and aged pecorino. Find more full-bodied Italians among our red wines.
Negroamaro FAQ
What does Negroamaro mean?
The name is read as "black and bitter". Negro means black, and amaro may come from the Italian word for bitter or from the Greek mavro, also meaning black.
What does Negroamaro wine taste like?
Typically dark fruit such as plum and cherry, notes of herbs, tobacco and spice, a soft texture and a slightly bitter, fresh finish.
What is the difference between Negroamaro and Primitivo?
Both are red grapes from Puglia. Primitivo usually gives rounder, riper fruit, while Negroamaro has more structure and a bitter freshness. The two are often blended.
Is Salice Salentino made from Negroamaro?
Yes. Red Salice Salentino must contain at least 75 percent Negroamaro, often with Malvasia Nera.