Negroamaro
How to pronounce it
The classic red grape of Puglia, whose name means 'black and bitter' in Italian.
Negroamaro is the classic red grape of Puglia and is grown almost exclusively there, especially on the heel of Italy. It is high in alcohol, with black fruit and tobacco among its aromas and flavours. Salice Salentino, Squinzano and Copertino are among its reds, it is also made as rosato, and the Salice Salentino DOC allows a sparkling spumante.
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Open the appOrigin and parentage
Negroamaro's VIVC prime name is Negro Amaro, variety number 8456, and its country of origin is recorded as Italy. VIVC records Maiolica as one parent, with the pedigree confirmed by DNA markers. The other parent is unknown.
- VIVC prime name: Negro Amaro; VIVC variety number 8456; country of origin: Italy
- Parents: Maiolica and an unknown parent
- Pedigree confirmed by DNA markers
- Grown almost exclusively in Puglia
- Its name means 'black and bitter' in Italian
- A principal red grape variety of DOCs including Copertino, Salice Salentino and Squinzano
- Salice Salentino was established as a DOC in 1976
- Leone de Castris calls its Five Roses, an icon of its style since 1943, the first rosato bottled in Italy
History and Origins
Negroamaro's name means 'black and bitter' in Italian. The grape is widely planted in Italy's deep south, especially on the heel of Italy in Puglia, and it is grown almost exclusively in Puglia.
- Name means 'black and bitter' in Italian
- Widely planted in Italy's deep south, especially in Puglia
- Grown almost exclusively in Puglia
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Negroamaro is high in alcohol, with black fruit and tobacco among its aromas and flavours. In Puglia it makes reds such as Salice Salentino, Squinzano and Copertino, which Jancis Robinson calls "seductively heady, ageworthy reds". Beyond red wine, Negroamaro is also made as rosato, and the Salice Salentino DOC allows a sparkling spumante.
- High in alcohol
- Black fruit and tobacco among its aromas and flavours
- Also made as rosato; the Salice Salentino DOC allows a sparkling spumante
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Negroamaro is a principal red grape variety of a string of DOCs: Alezio, Brindisi, Copertino, Galatina, Gioia del Colle, Leverano, Lizzano, Matino, Nardò, Negroamaro di Terra d'Otranto, Salice Salentino and Squinzano. Salice Salentino was established as a DOC in 1976. Cosimo Taurino makes a Salice Salentino Rosso Riserva. Leone de Castris calls its Five Roses, a Salento IGT rosato made mainly from Negroamaro, the first rosato bottled in Italy, and an icon of its style since 1943.
- Salice Salentino established as a DOC in 1976
- A principal red grape variety of DOCs including Copertino, Salice Salentino and Squinzano
- Cosimo Taurino makes a Salice Salentino Rosso Riserva
- Leone de Castris calls Five Roses the first rosato bottled in Italy
Sources and last verified
Primary sources: https://www.vivc.de/index.php?r=passport%2Fview&id=8456 ; https://www.vivc.de/index.php?var=8456&r=eva-analysis-mikrosatelliten-abstammungen%2Findex ; https://www.leonedecastris.com/vini/five-roses/ ; https://www.taurinovini.it/vini/ Reference sources: https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/grape-varieties/red/negroamaro ; https://italianwinecentral.com/variety/negroamaro/ ; https://italianwinecentral.com/denomination/salice-salentino-doc/ Last verified 2026-10-20
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Get the DeckHigh in alcohol, with black fruit and tobacco among its aromas and flavours.
- Leone de Castris Five RosesA Salento IGT rosato made mainly from Negroamaro, which the estate calls the first rosato bottled in Italy.
- Cosimo Taurino Salice Salentino Rosso RiservaThe estate's Salice Salentino DOP Rosso Riserva.
- Cosimo Taurino PatriglioneA Negroamaro Salento IGP Rosso from the Taurino lineup.
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- Negroamaro is grown almost exclusively in Puglia
- Salice Salentino was established as a DOC in 1976
- Negroamaro is a principal red grape variety of DOCs including Copertino, Salice Salentino and Squinzano
- Leone de Castris calls its Five Roses, made mainly from Negroamaro, the first rosato bottled in Italy
- The name Negroamaro means 'black and bitter' in Italian
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