If a baked blackberry tart were ever lightly smoked, it would smell like this Caiaffa Negroamaro. Oozing with juicy berry fruit character but with a notable and intriguing smoky edge, this 100% Negroamaro wine from organic winery, Caiaffa, in the northern cooler end of Puglia is phenomenal value. Rare is it that we find such elegant expressions of the Puglian Negroamaro grape, so often it is grown in the hottest growing regions where winemakers prefer the super-ripe, extracted and full-bodied wines. Lifted black berry and black cherry character with hints of dried petals on the nose lead to a palate that is medium bodied with a velvety texture. The fresh, ripe berry character continues in the mouth and it is framed by a warm, leathery complexity that gives way to a lingering fruity finish. Juicy, easy-drinking and very versatile, this Caiaffa Negroamaro is a safe pair of hands. Pairing well with grilled red meat, this Italian Negroamaro would also be a fine match to Pasta al Ragù! The Caiaffa winery is based in the small town of Cerignola, found in Puglia’s less explored northern tip. Here, unlike further south and inland, the climate is cooled considerably by the Mediterranean, helping the grapes to retain acidity and fresh fruit chatacter during the ripening season. It is thanks to this, along with Marco Caiaffa’s dedication to biodiversity in the vineyard, that Caiaffa claim to be able to produce some of the most elegant and varietally pure red wines in Puglia. They’re certainly some of the best we’ve tasted from a region that is much more famous for its big and powerful wines. The Caiaffa Negroamaro spends three months in large oak barrels after harvest, to help the tannins achieve that silky texture and to add to the smoky complexity that makes this wine so delicious.
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