Primitivo is the same grape as Zinfandel, so a Primitivo will not have the same flavor profile as a bottle of Chianti or Brunello.   Most Italian wines are food wines, but the Primitivo grape is definitely enjoyable on its own.   My boyfriend Tim has taken a liking to Zinfandel, so when I made lasagna I wanted to get a bottle that he would also enjoy- but an Italian wine of course!   So, I picked up this bottle at the wonderful two story Whole Foods in Cupertino (HUGE beer and wine selection there!).

This wine had a big red raspberry nose.   I smelled a hint of other spices, but this wine was mostly fruit, fruit, and more fruit.   It was not jammy like many of the warmer climate Zinfandels and had a lighter body to it.   The finish was more tart – a bit deceiving because the raspberries smelled ripe, but the finish had an acidic bite!   This was definitely an easy drinking wine with nice acid (not much tannin) on the finish, and – mission accomplished! – Tim enjoyed it as well.   He also got the berryness in the wine and liked the fact that the “harsh”-ness was absent.

$10.99/bottle

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