What is Primitivo?
Primitivo is a red wine style best understood through its balance of fruit, freshness, body, tannin, sweetness and texture. Puglian red with ripe berry fruit, spice and warmth. Typical flavours include blackberry, plum, spice, warm finish.
Puglia
Primitivo
Southern Red · 13.5-15%
Style profile
Grapes, regions and character
Primitivo is commonly associated with Primitivo. The grape choice shapes the wine’s aroma, structure, acidity, body and food-pairing personality. Classic regions include Puglia.
Puglia
Italy
What does Primitivo pair well with?
Pair Primitivo by matching the wine’s weight, acidity, sweetness and tannin to the dish. It works especially well with robust pasta, meat sauces, grilled vegetables. It is usually less successful with delicate white fish.
Best food matches
Pairings to avoid
What makes a good or bad Primitivo?
A good Primitivo should taste balanced, expressive and clean. Look for clear fruit, freshness, structure and a finish that suits the style. The acidity is usually medium, so the wine should feel lively without becoming harsh. The body is usually full, so it should match the weight expected from this style.
A poor Primitivo can taste flat, tired, harsh, thin, overly sweet, too alcoholic or unbalanced. Avoid bottles where oak, bitterness, heat or sweetness dominate the fruit, freshness and structure.
When buying Primitivo, look for bottles where the region, grape and producer style match the food you want to cook. Useful countries to look at include Italy.
Serve Primitivo at around 15-17°C. Serving temperature matters because too warm can make wine feel heavy, while too cold can mute flavour.
