St Louis Ribs and Primitivo

[Carl Eppig]

2005 Tobin James, James Gang Reserve, Paso Robles, Primitivo ($38). Alcohol level: 15.2%. This was a one year later vintage than the one we brought to Howe’s get together in York, ME last year.

The wine gave flowers and red fruits on the nose and upfront. More fruit both red and black along with pepper and spice made us the complex middle, and the finish lingered. The balance was just about perfect, and high octane hardly noticeable.

We shared it with a house guest and matched it with smoked St Louis ribs that were sauced in a low oven off the smoker. True love made potato salad and cold slaw.

The sauce was a old James Beard version made with ketchup, honey, butter and smaller amounts of lemon juice, Worcestershire, and seasonings including his secret ingredient, cumin. The Primitivo went great with it.

[Bob Parsons Alberta]

Sounds great Carl. Your method of cooking is a lot different from up here!!! Yum.

[Bruce Hayes]

Interesting to see that some Primitivo is grown in North America.

[Bob Parsons Alberta]

Hi Bruce.....I have tasted a nice one from Henry a couple of times.

Thread drift....what do you think of doing/suggesting Primitivo here next month??? Time to think of an idea eh.

Bob

[Tim York]

Is there a difference between Primitivo and Zinfandel?

[Bruce Hayes]

Is there a difference between Primitivo and Zinfandel?

I am prepared to be corrected, but I believe that while they are closely related genetically, they are different grapes. Perhaps cousins, or something.

[Carl Eppig]

They are the same grape not cousins. However, Zin has been grown in CA for over a century and a half and is clonely and perceptively different from the Italian version. The Primitivo grown in NA is from the Italian clone.

There is a different story regarding Pinot Grigio. The Pinot Grigio grown outside of Italy is exactly the same as Pinot Gris grown variously. New World producers of Pinot Grigio call it thus purely for marketing considerations.