Schola Sarmenti – Òpra Negroamaro Rosé 2024 75 cl.

Schola Sarmenti – Òpra Negroamaro Rosé is a rosé wine made from 100% Negroamaro from Schola Sarmenti in Nardò, in the heart of Salento in Puglia. On the producer’s Italian product page and in the technical sheet, the wine is listed as Negroamaro Rosato Nardò DOC, while the English product page uses the designation Negroamaro Rosé Wine Salento IGT. What is clear and consistent in the producer’s own material is that this is the same wine, made from pure Negroamaro, with the same fundamental style and technical profile.

Schola Sarmenti describes itself as an authentic Apulian producer with strong roots in Salento and a focus on the region’s local grape varieties, including Negroamaro, Primitivo, Fiano, and Susumaniello. The producer’s philosophy emphasises cultivation methods, manual work, and the close connection between soil, people, and time. On the website, it is highlighted that the grapes are harvested by hand and that the wines are shaped in a cellar where traditional expression meets modern technology. The producer also points out that the wine develops in an environment where both wood and steel are used in the cellar work, depending on the wine’s style and needs.

For Òpra, the producer states that the grapes come from vines with an average age of around 50 years, trained according to Alberello Pugliese, with approximately 4,500 plants per hectare. Yields are stated to be around 1,100 grams per vine. The harvest is carried out by hand, and the grapes are carefully placed in small ventilated crates to preserve the integrity of the fruit. The technical sheet also states that the harvest takes place during the second week of September, which is relatively early and consistent with the wine’s fresh rosé style.

The vinification is clearly aimed at preserving the grape’s freshness and expression. The producer states that the wine matures in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, with no mention of oak ageing for this cuvée. This clearly indicates that the goal here is not oak influence or oxidative weight, but rather a purer, fruit-driven, and more direct expression of Negroamaro in rosé form. The alcohol content is stated to be 13%.