Cantele
Negroamaro Rosato Salento IGT
2011
13% ABV | Price: about $11*
This wine is gorgeous, in more ways than one. It’s made from 100% negroamaro, a dark-skinned grape from Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot. The fruit was macerated for up to twenty-four hours to extract color and flavor compounds, and fermentation and aging took place in stainless steel to preserve the wine’s vibrancy.
The result is deep strawberry pink, with aromas of field strawberry, cantaloupe, and faint green herbs top-noted by a whiff of Tahitian vanilla. On the palate it offers flavors of fresh, ripe strawberries, but stops shy of any pretty sweetness. Its texture is spreading and broad—a really big rosé that almost reads like a red. But it’s also beautifully balanced, with racy acidity and a long, savory finish.
This is a terrific food wine, perhaps the most food-friendly rosé I’ve tasted in a year. It has enough heft to stand up to grilled foods but enough freshness to pair with salads, cold seafood, and young cheeses. Plus, it looks beautiful on the summer table. A rare jewel of a rosé for about $11.
*I received this wine as a press sample.
if ever there were a “gorgeous” wine, this would be it, right? We drink a lot of this at home and it’s our number-one wine for summer entertaining… thanks for taking time out to taste it, Meg. Great post (and great photo).
This one has always stood out at our annual rosé party, and this year was deemed the best of the bunch among similarly and more expensively priced competition. Bright, with bite, lovely summer night.
Saluté.
Salute, Todd!