Perhaps the best way for me to describe this wine is that if someone asked…

Can you recommend something different to try in a red wine for around $10 dollars?

…the 2008 Tormaresca Puglia Neprica would be near the top of my current shortlist of wines I’d point them to.

Made in the Southeastern region of Italy known as Puglia, the Tormaresca Neprica is a blend of 40% Negroamaro, 30% Primitivo (which is genetically similar to Zinfandel) and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon . The name Neprica comes from combining the first few letters of the names of each of those grapes.

I first learned about this wine late last year while chatting with a vendor who was stocking the shelves in the wine section at HEB. I mentioned I really enjoyed the Penfold’s Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet and he suggested I check out the Neprica. Turned out to be good advice, somewhat ironically though because for my palate the quirky Neprica offered a much different experience than the more traditional Penfold’s. And by quirky I mean unconventionally delicious, delivering a solid combination of value and taste that earned the Neprica a spot on Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Best Buys of 2008.

A common thread among the reviews and mostly accolades I’ve been reading about Neprica is that it pairs well with just about anything. After serving the wine with a variety of dishes I would agree with that, and perhaps even take it a step further in that you will want to pair it with something. The unique personality which makes the Neprica special works extremely well when it shares the stage with a main course. Less so I thought when it had the spotlight all to itself. Or, to put it another way — if you’re searching for a red wine to serve at/bring to your next casual dinner party, Neprica may be just what you’ve been looking for.

I purchased the wine originally for $8.47 at HEB -

but have since seen the price moving quite a bit, from a high of $12.98 -

to $10.99 I saw during my last visit.

While I haven’t seen it there myself, there are also several mentions online from fans of this wine of it being available at Costco. If you can find it in your favorite neighborhood wine store for under $10, the 2008 Tormaresca Puglia Neprica is one of the more interesting bargains in red wine I’ve tasted recently.

Wine Name: 2008 Tormaresca Puglia Neprica
Three Nine Wine Rating: (4.5/5)

Related links:

Wine Searcher prices for Tormaresca Neprica.
Corkd reviews of 2008 Tormaresca Puglia Neprica
Snooth reviews of 2008 Tormaresca Puglia Neprica.
Wine Curmudgeon Review of Tormaresca Puglia Neprica.