Get to know Primitivo — a Southern Italian wine from Puglia known for its robust nature and excellent value — with this First-Taste Guide. Primitivo ("pree-mee-TEE-vo") is one of the most popular red wines of Southern Italy. A structured and powerful, yet velvety wine that, despite its average high alcohol content, always manages to be extremely pleasant and drinkable. Primary Flavors Burnt toast Black pepper Spicy Burning rubber Black cherry Blackberry Plum Violet Grape Profile Primitivo is a dry, red wine. The flavors of Primitivo are, naturally, very similar to those of Zinfandel, but often it is somewhat leaner, and more structured and earthy. Typical characteristics include ripe berry fruit, plum, black pepper, fresh earth and sweet baking spice. Primitivo is a rich, bold, full-bodied wine with intense flavors. And you can find dark fruit flavors of blackberries, cherries, raspberries, along with notes of raisin, earth, licorice, leather, and cinnamon spice. Plus, if aged in oak you can find hint of sweet tobacco with a rustic finish. Wine styles vary from producer to producer but Primitivo (often encountered in the Southern Italy section of your wine store) is generally dry. That being said, the often high levels of sunlight in its home regions mean the resulting wine often displays sweet fruit and jammy notes with higher levels of alcohol often adding to the perception of 1xDto.

is primitivo wine dry or sweet