Negroamaro is one of many fascinating grapes unique to the deep south of Italy. And it's far more appetizing than its name - meaning 'the black bitter one' - would suggest.
Negroamaro gives deeply colored, richly flavored wines, full of character. The finest examples have a dark, bitter chocolate quality (hence the name), but with abundant plum, prune and savory complexity to balance.
Our Negroamaro is grown by Gil Tournour in the Calpella Township, of Mendocino County. This wine was aged for 36 months in French Burgundy oak barrels. Classic aromas and flavors of dark berry fruit and spiced notes of cloves, cinnamon and allspice, make this a perfect wine for wild game or meat lover's pizza.
Winemaker Notes: The 2017 vintage of Negroamaro was just as ripe and mature as last
year. Providing a lovely and balanced wine of dark purple-garnet color
with aromas and flavors of ripe plums, blackberries, spicy wood and
earth, with ripe, full tannins and a seamless transition of flavors and
textures that carries through to a long finish.
Vineyards: Monte Volpe is one of the few producers of Negroamaro in California,
releasing its 6th vintage in 2017 but using it in blends since 2005. 88% of
this wine is Negroamaro grown by my cousin Gil Tournour in a small
vineyard with shallow rock laden Pinole white clay-loam soils. The other
12% is Zinfandel from the Bartolomei vineyard in the Talmage district of
the Ukiah valley
Winemaking: The grapes were hand-harvested at an average of 24.6 degrees brix
October 4th-18th, 2017. After crushing the grapes into a small open-top
stainless-steel tank, the must was cold soaked for 4 days and then pumped
over and punched down twice daily for 2 weeks during fermentation,
before being pressed off into French and American Burgundy oak barrels.
After aging in barrels for 36 months, the wine was then egg white fined
and filtered.
Food Pairing: Enjoy with grilled steaks, pasta with forest mushroom sauce and lamb chops with rosemary sauce.
Blend: 88% Negroamaro 12% Zinfandel
Alcohol: 14.6%
Total Acidity: 0.69
pH: 3.51
Residual Sugar: 0.3% (dry)
