BARSENTO | Ladislao | Puglia | 2018
negroamaro
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Today we are also going to review a single varietal negroamaro wine from Puglia wine region – Ladislao Puglia 2018 by Cantine Barsento. Negroamaro (which translates as ‘black and bitter‘) is a widely planted grape variety in Italy’s deep south, especially on the heel of Italy in Puglia, where it can make seductively heady, ageworthy red wines. Some believe that «negro» (black) is a reference to its very dark colour while «amaro» (bitter) could refer to its strong tannins, or to the fact that in the past the negroamaro wine was left to ferment with the grape-skins for a long time, thus by the end of fermentation it was dark and very bitter. The true origins of this grape variety are uncertain, it is likely that it was brought to Italy by greek colonists in about the 8th century B.C. and found its ideal habitat in the rocky arid region that is Puglia. What is certain though, is that negroamaro is one of Italy’s most ancient vines that has an ancestral bond with Puglia wine region. This particular wine has been aged for several months in big oak botti (large oak barrels, usually made of slavonian oak) in order to preserve to the maximum the purity and typicity of the negroamaro grape variety. That said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:
//Visual
colour: deep ruby color
clarity: bright ruby shades
//Olfactory
intensity: powerful & clean
fruit profile: black fruits
__black fruits: black cherry | black plum | dried black cherry | dried black plum | aronia berry
fruit character: overripe & dried
//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | earthy | other
__spice: black pepper | tonka seeds | cloves | anise
__oak: liquorice | sweet tobacco | mocha | roasted oakwood | charred wood | ash
__earthy: black soil dust | black tea
__other: cherry seeds | cherry tree sap
primary layer: fruit & oak
//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: medium+
alcohol: high
tannin: high
__grip: ripe
balance: good
__dominant: alcohol
body: firm & heady | full body
//Taste
fruit profile: black fruits
fruit character: overripe & dried
non fruit: spice & oak
finish: medium
aftertaste: appealingly-seedy
//Scoring
BARSENTO | Ladislao | Puglia | 2018
variety: negroamaro
country: Italy
region: Puglia
rating: 92.8
//Conclusion
maturity: in its prime | can age for 2 or 3 years
verdict: fine | highly recommended
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This is definitely a fine wine of Italy and, with a total of 92.8 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.
Verdict: this is a very fine negroamaro wine: firm, ripe and rich – a wine that has already reached the summit of its prime form, still it has the potential to age for another 2 or 3 years in the bottle. The wine feels heady, bold and extracted, with slightly underwhelming acidity, ripe tannins and a touch of alcoholic warmth on the mouthfeel. On the nose the wine delivers an explosion of overripe and dried black fruits in the foreground, followed by a very nuanced, spicy-oaky background. All in all, this is a fruit-forward and tannic wine, with a very appealing mouthfeel and a seedy-crisp aftertaste. What this wine lacks today is maybe some finesse and harmony on the palate, as it still has some youthul angularity in there. That said, our recommendation would be to drink it today rather than tomorrow and enjoy it in its full flamboyance. Saluti!
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© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation.
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By training ourselves to stop, take a breath, and pay attention to the subtle elements that distinguish one wine from any other, we learn an important lesson about life – that it’s worth taking the time to slow down and appreciate things that pleases us, from a glass of wine to a great work of art. It’s a simple way to learn to appreciate the little things in life that may in some small way enhance our enjoyment of every day.
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WineStatistics is a non-profit community. We produce independent and highly detailed wine reviews.
By training ourselves to stop, take a breath, and pay attention to the subtle elements that distinguish one wine from any other, we learn an important lesson about life – that it’s worth taking the time to slow down and appreciate things that pleases us, from a glass of wine to a great work of art. It’s a simple way to learn to appreciate the little things in life that may in some small way enhance our enjoyment of every day.
In order to continue our work we need support from people like you. People who appreciate our contribution in spreading wine knowledge and raising wine awareness across the borders.
You may now support us by contributing with a monthly donation so that we can review even more wines.
WineStatistics is a non-profit community. We produce independent and highly detailed wine reviews.
By training ourselves to stop, take a breath, and pay attention to the subtle elements that distinguish one wine from any other, we learn an important lesson about life – that it’s worth taking the time to slow down and appreciate things that pleases us, from a glass of wine to a great work of art. It’s a simple way to learn to appreciate the little things in life that may in some small way enhance our enjoyment of every day.
In order to continue our work we need support from people like you. People who appreciate our contribution in spreading wine knowledge and raising wine awareness across the borders.
You may now support us by contributing with a yearly donation so that we can review even more wines.
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