Liveli Orion: Primitivo 2014

Liveli Orion’s Primitivo is a strong Italian red full of tannin’s.  The barrel aging shows through with a strong, acidic flavor that pairs well with pepperoni pizza.

The color is a beautiful deep garnet red.

Red fruits balance on the nose.  Cherry, raspberry, and then a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Genetically, Primitivo and Zindafandel come from the same grape, the Croatian grape Crjenak.  If you’ve never had Primitivo before, you can expect a Zinfandel style flavor with a bit more raspberry.  In 2007, both varietals were approved as varietals for use in American wines.  Prior to 2007 only Zinfandel was bottled in the US.

Zinfandel, much more common in the US than Primitivo, makes up approximately 10% of grapes grown in California.

Most Primitivo is grown in Apulia, Italy.

At $13.99, pick this up on your way home tonight to enjoy with a good movie and pizza.  You might need to look harder for this than your average bottle.  My preferred store: Talk of the Table at The Collection in Cumming, Georgia.

One down side to the wine: open it when you have a friend to share the bottle with.  The flavor shifts quickly once oxygen enters the bottle to a less enjoyable flavor.