As of December 2007, the TTB lists both Zinfandel and Primitivo as approved grape varieties for American wines, but they are not listed as synonyms; U.S. producers, therefore, must label a wine according to whether it is Zinfandel or Primitivo. Primitivo ("pree-mee-TEE-vo") is one of the most popular red wines of Southern Italy. A structured and powerful, yet velvety wine that, despite its average high alcohol content, always manages to be extremely pleasant and drinkable. Primary Flavors Burnt toast Black pepper Spicy Burning rubber Black cherry Blackberry Plum Violet Grape Profile In Salento, mainly residually sweet, in Manduria dry red wines are produced. Most often, however, Primitivo is found as a dry red wine with relatively high sugar. The full Vino Primitivo has a lot of alcohol with 13-15%. Together with the soft body, this makes for a palate pleaser par excellence. Taste Profile Dry Medium-full Body Medium-high Tannins Medium-low Acidity Over 15% ABV Handling SERVE 60-68°F / 15-20°C GLASS TYPE Universal DECANT 30 Minutes CELLAR 5-10 Years Food Pairing Zinfandel pairs well with Moroccan and Turkish spices that embellish the wine's cinnamon-spice subtleties. Taking a hard right in a completely different viniferal direction, Primitivo is also used to make Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale, a delicious dessert wine made by allowing the grapes to dry on the vines. Primitivo is a dark and tannic wine that smells and tastes of flowers, fruit, pepper, and blackberries. Zinfandel contains flavors of berry, cherry, blackberry, anise, and black pepper. California winemakers let Zinfandel grapes ripen until they have a lot of sugar, which gives the wine more alcohol. .

is primitivo wine dry or sweet