WBW #67: Seeing Red for the First Time. 2007 Perrini Negroamaro

First off if you plan to try to introduce a red wine to a white wine drinker I might first ask them what white wines they prefer. This is a red I might choose for someone who drinks dry un-oaked whites. There are many reasons I think this would be a good red wine introduction for a white wine drinker. First off it is red, a rose made from red grapes could come across alot like a white wine and I don’t want to confuse folks.  Negroamaro translates to ‘black and bitter’, at this point you’re thinking ‘swift move’ I know, but this is a wine I recommend all the time to people who like something lighter and fruitier and they always come back raving. I’ve never had a Negroamaro with such pure fruit flavors; usually they are a bit unbalanced, rustic and somewhat reflective of their name. This one is fruit focused with blueberry and a variety of other dark fruits allied to a spiciness reminiscent of sprigs of rosemary. The tannin and acidity are both low and the finish is fruity. The acidity may be a little low for it to be the most versatile red wine but it will be flexible and I think it would be great with pasta and sausages or a puttanesca sauce. Also reds with higher acidity levels can have very low tannin levels but those tannins never seem to be as soft as those in low acid reds from warm climates. I think that the nature of the tannin is as important to consider as the level of tannin in choosing the right red for a white drinker.