The village folk still call it Niuru Maru: Negroamaro, meaning bitter black (red).

In another era, Negroamaro was grown solely to ship to the north of Italy where the colder climate made it challenging to obtain the desired color and alcohol levels in the wines they produced. But in recent decades, more and more Salento wineries have looked to the variety as one of the most noble expressions of Pugliese viticulture.

Thanks to its vibrant acidity and its wonderful balance of fruit and earth flavors, the popularity of Negramaro only continues to grow — among winemakers and wine lovers alike.

Cantele’s barrique-aged Teresa Manara Negroamaro is widely considered to be a benchmark for the category and the winery’s Salice Salentino, also made using a selection of top fruit, is once its most critically acclaimed wines in the U.S. today. Cantele also uses Negroamaro to make youthful, fresh wine and a rosé, both of which are also favorites among our American friends.