Cantele.

Most things in life are cyclical; moon phases, shedding Vinodogs, wine vintages...cycles even appear in wine-blogging subject matters.  Seemingly on a regular basis, some wine-blogger, somewhere, gets his/her knickers in a twist and rants on and on about the lack of ethics and credibility of wine-bloggers who welcome free wine samples, (bemoaning the perceived expectation that the wine/winery in question will receive a favourable review).  Snooze.  Seriously folks it's just wine, not a debate on the merits of the Geneva Convention.  Get a life!  So when I got an email from Do Bianchi (cognoscente of all things Vino-Italiano) that said, "Can I send you some Cantele samples?" I said yes!  Now, I'm not a wine critic, but I do possess a set of functioning taste buds. And I have never, in my life, been accused of being a sheep.  Still, in the spirit of full disclosure, I felt I had to point out to Do Bianchi that I don't have much of a readership and the wine samples would perhaps be wasted on me.  The samples showed up nevertheless.  Three bottles; a 2011 Negroamaro Rosato (IGT Salento), a 2010 Negroamaro (IGT Salento) and a 2009 Salice Salentino Riserva (DOC Salice Salentino).  All three wines are 100% Negroamaro grapes and, if the internet is to be believed, retail anywhere from $8.99 to $11.99.  So late on Easter Sunday afternoon, I sat myself down and tasted through all three wines; then I tasted them with dinner (roasted pork and vegetables); and then over the next two nights.
Negroamaro is a thick-skinned, black grape variety native to southern Italy and is grown almost exclusively on the Salento peninsula in the Apulia region that borders the Adriatic and Ionian seas.  Amaro is the Italian word for bitter which, I soon discovered, is an inherent characteristic of the Negroamaro grape.  It is said that vintages matter little in the wines produced from this region, as the climate is rather steady and consistent.
The Rosato was delightful.  A deep coral-pink, the nose was of sugared strawberries and candied-sour-cherry with a slight herby undertone.  The acid was balanced and the wine displayed a surprising amount of tannins (I'm assuming this wine is a saignée), although the mid-palate was a little weak and tapered off.  But then, unexpectedly, the finish came back with a crisp, clean, slightly peachy finale.  I finished drinking the Rosato on Tuesday night and it had gotten even better. 
The Riserva was a winner right out of the gate, displaying a whiff of baked mixed-berry tart with a side of crème brûlée - all vanilla and brown sugar goodness - and an odd, but pleasant, trace of perfumey sisal.  Medium bodied, fab acid and a finish that went on forever, it paired well with the roast pork and also the next night with Chili. 
Ah.  And then came the 2010 Negroamaro.  Sigh.  This little fella proved a little more difficult.  Very spicy nose, cumin and white pepper, with notes of sour cherry and under ripe plums.  Light to medium bodied, edgy acidity and insistent tannins that made me pucker up!  The grape's bitterness caught the back of my tongue and I think it made me wince.  However, it improved in the glass and was an acceptable accompaniment to the roast pork, pairing especially nicely with the roast onion on my plate.  In fact, I would have to say that the wine with the roast onion went through a miraculous transformation, it was amazing.  Now, I'm not a winemaker, but I do think this wine (aged in stainless steel) would benefit from being introduced to some oak phenolics, and that's all I'm going to say on the matter. With this last wine, I have no doubt that if I was holidaying in Apulia, with some of my very favourite human beings and eating the local food, that this wine would taste fabulous.  It is most definitely strikes me as a wine of place and it just simply did not relax itself in to a showery Sunday in the Napa Valley.
Would I have bought these wines if I had seen them in a local wine shop?  Well, if there was a wine shop in Napa, absolutely.  I have always loved Italian wines and I enjoy experimenting with new, to me at least, wine varietals.
Interesting stuff.  Thanks 2B!