Layer Cake Primitivo / Zinfandel

Discover Primitivo Wines

Black fruit, blue berries, figs, and leather-earthiness characterize Primitivo. Expect blackberry and fruit compote on the tongue, with a tannic rusticity on the finish. Primitivo is the ideal Tuesday night wine with pizza and burgers since it isn't too large and is generally quite cheaply priced. It's very adaptable, however, and goes well with roasted lamb, eggplant parmesan, and heavy lentil soups. The trick is to combine Primitivo's robustness with foods that have the weight and depth to stand up to it.

Primitivo is almost genetically similar to Zinfandel, California's most renowned and powerful grape. Primitivo and Zinfandel are both descendants of the indigenous Croatian Cjljnek (aka Tribidrag), which essentially means they're the twins you knew in high school who constantly made you wonder, "Wait, who is who again?"

Primitivo and Zinfandel, on the other hand, may yield quite distinct wines for a number of reasons. Zinfandel is a red wine with enormous black fruit and a spicy zest that is renowned for being a musclehead. Primitivo has a more restricted flavor profile, which is attributable in part to the way it is grown. The term “Primitivo” refers to how quickly it ripens, and it is not often allowed to hang as long as Zinfandel. It will still have dark inky berry notes, but there will be more fig and other dried fruit notes in there as well. It's also a little lighter in body and has a little more acidity than its California sister.