Style: Salice Salentino DOC is a wine made in the Salento Peninsula, in Apulia, the 'heel' to Italy's boot. The main grape used in its production is Negro Amaro (at least 85%) with the balance being Malvasia Nera. Apulia is a region known predominantly for its output of deeply colored and alcoholic wine used anonymously in blends. Its quality wine production is completely dwarfed by its bulk wine output, though producers are making more quality wines in line with demand. Other DOC wines from Apulia include Aleatico di Puglia DOC, made almost entirely from Aleatico grapes, Copertino DOC, made from at least 70% Negro Amaro, and Primitivo di Manduria DOC made from Primitivo grapes, now known to be the same as California's Zinfandel.
Producer: Taurino is a family run operation headed by Francesco Taurino, son of Cosimo Taurino, now deaceased. They make quality wines from both the Salice Salentino and Brindisi DOCs.
Price: Around $14.00.
Tasting Notes
Sight: Medium intensity, ruby core with garnet rim.
Nose: Leathery, (a little bretty), pleasant, showing clear hints of age. As the initial (maybe slightly dirty) aromas blow off very succulent dark berry aromas begin to emerge, laced with dusty and leathery aromas in succession. The fruit isn't obvious at first, but once it appears it is wonderfully plump and clean at the same time. With time in the glass the bouquet of age begins to show a little more but very distinctive, sweeter fruit begins to emerge as well.
Taste: Flavorful, crisp, and poised. Very fine tannin, medium to medium-full body. The texture is a bit chalky. The age is apparent as is the fruit, which is red, intense and almost jammy on the tongue. This is fantastic wine for the price. I had this same wine a year ago and it was much less evolved, so I think the time to drink it is now. On the other hand, I also had a bottle where the brett was so out of control that we couldn't drink it. This is a wine that is very distinctly Italian it its flavor profile.
Overall: I really love this wine. It is clearly old world, has a lot of character and is very easy to drink. This is what I would consider a value wine - great wine for the price.
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