Bombino Nero is a black grape variety with a long-standing tradition in Apulia, documented as early as the 19th-century ampelographic descriptions and historically known also as Buonvino. Its origins are traced back to Puglia, where it is most widely grown in the hills of the Murgia and in the Castel del Monte area, between the provinces of Bari and Barletta-Andria-Trani. The leaf is medium to large, generally five-lobed, with deep lobes, a tomentose underside and pronounced serrations; the bunch is of medium length, conical or cylindrical, often winged and compact. The berries, globular or slightly ellipsoidal in shape, have a blue-black skin rich in bloom and colourless flesh. Ripening is late, between late September and early October. When vinified, it produces mainly rosé wines with a cherry-pink colour, sometimes enhanced by violet hues, floral aromas and fragrant notes of strawberry, raspberry, small red berries and citrus fruits. On the palate, it displays freshness, savouriness, balance and a pleasantly substantial structure, supported by delicate tannins. It is a wine designed to highlight its vitality and aromatic finesse, with a ageing potential generally of medium duration, although it can evolve harmoniously in its more structured versions. One of the most interesting facts is that the name may refer to the distinctive shape of the grape cluster, resembling that of a child, whilst the grape variety is the star of the Castel del Monte Bombino Nero appellation, one of Puglia’s most iconic rosé wines.
