Wine Advent-ure Calendar Day 9: Pinky Truce Vino Rosato (Puglia, IGT)

Winery Location: Italy (Puglia)
Varietal: Primitivo (Zinfandel)

Often crisp and fruity and refreshing, the rose’ wine is long associated with warm summer evenings. The pink wine is made all over the world, but it is mostly associated with Provence in the South of France. But we are not going there today. No, for Day 9 our trip will take us to Puglia in the heel of the Italian boot to taste Pinky Truce, one of their many rose’s better known as a rosato.

As mentioned earlier, Rosatos are Italian rose’s using grapes indigenous to the country. Puglia is considered the epicenter of rosato wine, producing up to 44% of the pink stuff. The fertile soil and hospitable climate are conducive to 20 grape varietals often used to make rosatos including Primitivo, which is better known here in the United States as Zinfandel. This is the grape used in the making of Pinky Truce.

So yes, you can say that Pinky Truce is a white Zinfandel. But with all due respect to white Zin I think that would be selling it a bit short. Pinky Truce has a more delicate touch than most white Zinfandels or French rose’s which can be seen as cloying in their extreme variants. It’s light on the nose and the palate, on the body and the finish. Soft aromas of cherry and strawberry and floral notes swirl in the nose. The palate is crisp and clean, with sour cherry, strawberry and cranberry flavors. Pinky Truce is a very versatile wine, while some folks may see it primarily as a summer patio wine due to its light body and delicate nature, it is full of flavor and can stand up to a surprising array of foods. If you want something that has the familiarity of the white Zinfandel but a little exotic and delicate, Pinky Truce has your number.