WTN: Santa Barbara Salice Salentino Rosso 2005

Cooperative Agr. Santa Barbara

A blend of Negroamaro and Malvasia

Smoky, leather and bitter notes on the nose.

Tangy, tart and stewed cherry and cranberry, leather, bright, medium weight, drying, quite bitter, with a real edge.

Drying and bitter on the rather short finish.

The strong bitterness made this a rather unimpressive wine.

Purchased at $14.95 (Canadian).

Who is the producer?

Who is the producer?

Cooperative Agr. Santa Barbara.

Sorry, should have included that info in the original note. Have edited my posting to include this.

The wine has shown up in Ontario a few times and I recall it being much nicer in previous vintages.

Bruce,

Unfortunately that bitter aspect that is prevalent in this wine is one of the facets of the grape Negroamaro (the name itself means Bitter Black Man; not PC, I know). This is why it is often blend with Malavasia Nero that lends a certain sweetness/fruitiness that balances the bitterness. Sounds like they didn't get it quite right this time.

FWIW Chris RIngland makes a Negroamaro in Puglia under the La Forte label. Worth seeking out.

Cheers,

Nayan

Bruce,

Unfortunately that bitter aspect that is prevalent in this wine is one of the facets of the grape Negroamaro (the name itself means Bitter Black Man; not PC, I know). This is why it is often blend with Malavasia Nero that lends a certain sweetness/fruitiness that balances the bitterness. Sounds like they didn't get it quite right this time.

FWIW Chris RIngland makes a Negroamaro in Puglia under the La Forte label. Worth seeking out.

Cheers,

Nayan

Thank you very much for the info Nayan. Quite interesting. I drink Negroamaro quite often (for some reason the grape seems to be quite popular here in Ontario) and while I enjoy a nice bitter bite in my wine (Valpolicella, for example) as much as the next person, I just found this wine to be out of balance.

More than welcome Bruce.

And with apologies to Chris Ringland, his label is La Corte not La Forte (bloody Hungarian keyboards throwing out my touch typing... )

What a shame that this wasn't good. I absolutely adore this co-op's Barbaglio - a blend of Negroamaro and Primitivo. If that's available, don't be afraid to try that in the years '00-'02.

Bruce,

Unfortunately that bitter aspect that is prevalent in this wine is one of the facets of the grape Negroamaro (the name itself means Bitter Black Man; not PC, I know). This is why it is often blend with Malavasia Nero that lends a certain sweetness/fruitiness that balances the bitterness. Sounds like they didn't get it quite right this time.

FWIW Chris RIngland makes a Negroamaro in Puglia under the La Forte label. Worth seeking out.

Cheers,

Nayan

Nayan,

I think you'll find that 'bitter black' refers to the grape (what we call a red grape in english), not the man.

Bruce,

Unfortunately that bitter aspect that is prevalent in this wine is one of the facets of the grape Negroamaro (the name itself means Bitter Black Man; not PC, I know). This is why it is often blend with Malavasia Nero that lends a certain sweetness/fruitiness that balances the bitterness. Sounds like they didn't get it quite right this time.

FWIW Chris RIngland makes a Negroamaro in Puglia under the La Forte label. Worth seeking out.

Cheers,

Nayan

Nayan,

I think you'll find that 'bitter black' refers to the grape (what we call a red grape in english), not the man.

Oliver, I think you need to read my post again. I was referring to the grape; which part of what I said makes you think I wasn't?

Negroamaro (the name itself means Bitter Black Man; not PC, I know).

Nayan--
Oliver can speak for himself, but I reacted the same way he did to the above. You may speak Italian better than I do, but I believe the primary definition of "negro" in Italian is "black," not "black person." (And "amaro" is, as you know, "bitter.")

Negroamaro (the name itself means Bitter Black Man; not PC, I know).

Nayan--
Oliver can speak for himself, but I reacted the same way he did to the above. You may speak Italian better than I do, but I believe the primary definition of "negro" in Italian is "black," not "black person." (And "amaro" is, as you know, "bitter.")

Actually you are incorrect Clinton. The Italian for black (the colour) is "Nero".

I think you both need to chill a bit.

Negroamaro (the name itself means Bitter Black Man; not PC, I know).

Nayan--
Oliver can speak for himself, but I reacted the same way he did to the above. You may speak Italian better than I do, but I believe the primary definition of "negro" in Italian is "black," not "black person." (And "amaro" is, as you know, "bitter.")

Actually you are incorrect Clinton. The Italian for black (the colour) is "Nero".

I think you both need to chill a bit.

Names often preserve etymologically older forms than the current usage. Latin for black was negro, but modern Italian nero. But the grape is also called nero amaro. This name just preserves an older form of the word black. I very much doubt it contains a reference to black men. Interestingly black in Greek is "maru" and since this part of Italy saw much Greek influence, I have seen an alternative etymology to the grape name where also the latter half means black, as in a black, black (very black) grape. It might seem a bit far fetched, though, so I would like to see a bit more evidence for this alternative.

-Otto

Thanks Otto. The voice of reason on all things language based, as usual.

Actually you are incorrect Clinton. The Italian for black (the colour) is "Nero".

I think you both need to chill a bit.

Thanks, Nayan. I'm well aware that "nero" is the more common word for black, even with wine, as in Pinot Nero. I'll stand by my post. I wouldn't have said it in the first place had I not consulted a dictionary to be sure. No need to mistake this for being "unchilled."