Red grape variety
Négrette
The distinctive violet-scented variety of Fronton in south-west France.
What is Négrette?
Négrette is intensely floral — violets above all — and produces soft, perfumed reds almost exclusively around Fronton, north of Toulouse.
The Vitis International Variety Catalogue, maintained by the Julius Kühn Institute, holds this variety as accession 8452 under the prime name NEGRETTE, with berry skin colour noir and country of origin france. Checked 2026-08-17.
What it tastes like
This is the envelope across every expression of Négrette, not a description of one bottle. Wide ranges are the honest answer.
| Dimension | Typical | Range | Variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low | Consistent | |
| Acidity | medium | Some variation | |
| Tannin | medium | Some variation | |
| Alcohol | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Body | medium | Some variation | |
| Fruit intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Aromatic intensity | medium | Consistent | |
| Oak influence | low | Consistent | |
| Savoury character | low-medium | Consistent | |
| Floral character | high | Some variation | |
| Herbal / green character | low | Consistent | |
| Spice | low | Consistent | |
| Earthy character | low | Consistent | |
| Perceived freshness | medium | Some variation | |
| Texture | medium | Consistent |
Common flavours
Where it grows
- South West France — France
If you like Négrette, try…
Every suggestion says why it is connected and what will be different.
Closest matches
What is most like this?
Jaen
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be less floral, and fresher and more acidic.
Canaiolo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be less floral, and more restrained in fruit.
Cinsault
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be less floral, and lighter.
Similar but lighter
Something like this, but lighter?
Cinsault
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be less floral, and fresher and more acidic.
Beaujolais
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be fresher, and less floral.
Frappato
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be fresher, and leaner and more cutting.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Something like this, but less alcoholic?
Cinsault
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be less floral, and lighter.
Pinot Meunier
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be fresher, and less floral.
Dornfelder
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be sweeter, and less floral.
Similar but fuller
Something like this, but richer?
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be less floral, and more oaky.
Merlot
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be less floral, and more oaky.
Montepulciano
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be less floral, and more oaky.
What to eat with it
Ranked by WineHQ's pairing engine, which reasons from the structure of the dish.
Fillet steak
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Turkey
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Asparagus
Works because ripe fruit counterbalances bitterness where more bitterness would not.
Artichoke
Works because ripe fruit counterbalances bitterness where more bitterness would not.
Cauliflower and brassicas
Works because ripe fruit counterbalances bitterness where more bitterness would not.
Fresh cheese
Works because oak flavour overwhelms subtle food.
What to avoid with it
Dishes the pairing engine scores badly, and the principle that explains why. A short list: most things are fine.
Sashimi
Noticeable tannin is a risk with fish even where the wine is otherwise a reasonable weight.
Curry
High alcohol will make the dish taste noticeably hotter.
Mackerel
Noticeable tannin is a risk with fish even where the wine is otherwise a reasonable weight.
Sole
Noticeable tannin is a risk with fish even where the wine is otherwise a reasonable weight.
How to serve it
Temperature
14–16°C
57–61°F · Cellar cool
Most modern rooms are warmer than this. Twenty to thirty minutes in the fridge before serving usually gets a red into range.
Decanting
No need to decant
Nothing about this wine suggests it needs decanting. Light, aromatic and sparkling wines generally lose more than they gain.
Glass
Burgundy bowl
A wide bowl gives a delicate, aromatic red more surface area to release aroma, and directs it to the nose from a wider rim.
Ageing
Wines made from this grape are generally at their best within a few years.
The distinctive variety of Fronton, near Toulouse, with a violet-and-liquorice aroma that is at its best young. Thin-skinned and low in tannin; blending partners are what give a Fronton wine any capacity to keep.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) — Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof