The Future Of Italian Rosé?

The Antinori family is widely known in Italy as a great source for wine, since they've been producing it for more than six centuries.  They are reportedly the 10th oldest family-owned company in the world.  If they decide to make a wine, it’s difficult to carve out a reason not to try it.

They are hitting rosé season right in stride, with the Tormaresca Calafuria Rosato Salento IGT 2020.  Tormaresca was founded in 1998 by Marchesi Antinori, and it was named after the old seaside towers in Puglia.  Calafuria refers to the bays of the Puglia region.  This pink wine is made from Negroamaro grapes which were grown at the Masseria Maime estate in Salento, Puglia.  The alcohol is an easy-drinking 12% abv and the retail price is $15.

Tormaresca’s brand manager, Vito Palumbo, says he is seeing "a shift away from traditional Italian grapes to those which are lesser known."  He feels that Negroamaro is poised to be the next big thing in the current emergence of Italian rosé wines.  

The wine is beautiful enough, but the label is an eye-catcher as well, designed by illustrator Valeria Petrone.  The image is said to be that of a woman dreaming of Puglia.

This pink wine’s nose is laden with ripe, red fruit - cherries, strawberries - and a touch of citrus - lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit.  There is also an herbal note, a sort of greenness than leans into minerality.  The palate brings the red fruit first, followed by the citrus.  The acidity is great, and the mouthfeel is quite full - it drinks like a red wine.  If Negroamaro is the future of rosé, bring it on.

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