Fall Wine Recommendation: Il Valore 2006 Primitivo

After Mary's review of wines carried by Trader Joe's, we thought we'd share one of our recent Trader Joe's discoveries. It's the Il Valore 2006 Primitivo - find out why it's our favorite wine bargain for fall after the jump!

The primitivo grape, a close relative of zinfandel, is grown mostly in the southern Italian region of Puglia and is rarely seen outside of Italy. In fact, this might be the only primitivo wine we can remember seeing available commercially!

This particular wine from Il Valore is deep ruby red with tart flavors of blackberry and licorice. It holds up well with hearty meals like pasta with ragu, burgers with fries, and braised dishes. We also enjoy it as a simple drinking wine. A glass of this really warms you up on a fall afternoon!

Here in Massachusetts, this wine is priced at $3.99 a bottle - dangerously reasonable if you ask us! We believe it's carried nation-wide, so ask for it next time you're at a Trader Joe's.

(Image: Emma Christensen for the Kitchn)

Comments (2)

We're spoiled in California, where a number of Central Coast wineries are growing and bottling primitivo. (Mosby, Tobin James, and Castoro come immediately to mind.) Rabbit Ridge is one of the most widely distributed outside of California. It's affordable, though not $3.99 affordable.

I really miss being able to pick this one up. When I worked in Manhattan I would often stop by TJ's wine shop for a bottle or two of this Primitivo. Now that I'm not able to pass by so easily, and since TJ's won't sell wine outside of Untion Square this isn't really an option. :(