Red grape variety
Nero di Troia
A late-ripening Puglian variety producing structured, spicy reds with real ageing potential.
What is Nero di Troia?
Nero di Troia ripens very late and gives firmer, more structured wine than Puglia’s better-known varieties.
The Vitis International Variety Catalogue, maintained by the Julius Kühn Institute, holds this variety as accession 12819 under the prime name UVA DI TROIA, with berry skin colour noir and country of origin italy, and the pedigree "BOMBINO BIANCO X QUAGLIANO". Checked 2026-08-17.
What it tastes like
This is the envelope across every expression of Nero di Troia, not a description of one bottle. Wide ranges are the honest answer.
| Dimension | Typical | Range | Variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low | Consistent | |
| Acidity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Tannin | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Alcohol | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Body | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Fruit intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Aromatic intensity | medium | Consistent | |
| Oak influence | low | Consistent | |
| Savoury character | medium | Some variation | |
| Floral character | low | Consistent | |
| Herbal / green character | low | Consistent | |
| Spice | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Earthy character | low | Consistent | |
| Perceived freshness | medium | Consistent | |
| Texture | medium | Consistent |
Common flavours
Where it grows
- Puglia — Italy
If you like Nero di Troia, try…
Every suggestion says why it is connected and what will be different.
Closest matches
What is most like this?
Nero d’Avola
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more oaky, and rounder and creamier in texture.
Cornalin
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be fresher, and more savoury.
Refosco
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be less spicy, and fresher and more acidic.
Similar but lighter
Something like this, but lighter?
Colorino
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be less spicy, and more restrained in fruit.
Dolcetto
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be less spicy, and softer and rounder.
Trousseau
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and fresher.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Something like this, but less alcoholic?
Trousseau
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be lighter, and less tannic and softer.
Mondeuse Noire
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be fresher, and fresher and more acidic.
Fer Servadou
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more herbal and green, and less spicy.
Similar but fuller
Something like this, but richer?
Super Tuscan
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more oaky, and more herbal and green.
Uruguayan Tannat
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more oaky, and less spicy.
Bolgheri
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more oaky, and more herbal and green.
What to eat with it
Ranked by WineHQ's pairing engine, which reasons from the structure of the dish.
Roast chicken
Works because the protein and fat in the dish soften the tannin and let the fruit show.
Fillet steak
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Pork
Works because the protein and fat in the dish soften the tannin and let the fruit show.
Turkey
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Beef stew
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
Lamb
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
What to avoid with it
Dishes the pairing engine scores badly, and the principle that explains why. A short list: most things are fine.
How to serve it
Temperature
15–17°C
59–63°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
Worth decanting
Young, firmly tannic wine often softens noticeably with an hour of air — the most reliable case for decanting.
Glass
Bordeaux glass
A taller, narrower bowl directs a tannic wine past the front of the palate. The effect is real but modest.
Ageing
Most wines made from this grape are for drinking now, but certain styles reward keeping.
Late-ripening and firmly tannic when fully extracted, which is why Castel del Monte Riserva bottlings can take several years to come round. Softer, fruit-forward versions are made in the same region and are for drinking now.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) — Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof