Earlier this week I had a meal pairing dilemma, I started out with the wine I knew I wanted to drink and searched for a meal to go with it. Backwards? Most likely, but I was on a mission to pair this month's Frugal Feature with the best meal possible. Oh the possibilities that come with pairing a Primitivo.
This delightful wine comes from Dominic Hental, a Naked Wines participant. If you are not familiar with Naked Wines, they are the company that sends you those $100.00 wine vouchers in the mail. It is a fun company that has allowed me the opportunity to try wines from all over the world. The best part is, the majority of the wines on their site fall between the $10-$15.00 mark - making it a great inexpensive way to try new wines. This perfect Primitivo rolls in at $13.99.
I am a huge fan of Italian grapes/wines and I was so excited when I found this wine for such an affordable price. Afterall, missing out on this wine would be a Zin... get it? Primitivo is the same grape us Americans know as a Zinfandel. It is a grape of many names, but we will save those fun facts for a future Grape Highlight.
This bold wine has a high alcohol content and goes down smooth, so make sure to pair this one with some food. Otherwise, you may not remember finishing the bottle.
The wine has jammy tasting notes of strawberries and blackberries. I also smelled hints of Sopressata, yes the meat. For me, I have realized that this translates into smelling fennel.
This wine pairs phenomenally with BBQ dishes. The fruity notes of the wine will compliment the savory spice of your BBQ dish, while also matching comparably in smokiness. If you are not a BBQ fan, do not worry there are alternatives. The wine is higher in acid which makes it a perfect pairing for high acid foods, like tomato based dishes. I.e, spaghetti.
If you are thinking about a wine and food pairing, it is a good idea to think about what type of dish you are having. We know that "what grows together, goes together," but we also want to keep "pairing like with like" in mind. Acidic foods with acidic wines, sweet foods with sweet wines, heavy dishes with heavy wines, and light dishes with light wines. Still unsure of what you should pair? Sparkling wines like Champagne and Prosecco can be your safety net, they can pretty much go with anything. (Pro tip: do not have a heavy tannin wine with spicy food, you WILL destroy your tongue).
If you enjoy bold reds and Italian food consider starting with this Primitivo. I guarantee it will take your meal to the next level. It also may give you pause; it is a very unique wine that will challenge your sniffer. This wine can use sometime to open up, so I recommend decanting the wine for at least 30 minutes before drinking. Don't have a decanter or time to wait to drink the wine?! Use a blender, trust me - it works.
I hope you get a chance to try this wine. You can check it out on the Naked Wines site through this link. Until next time, Cheers!
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