Hump Day: Primitivo

It is no secret that I am a California Zinfandel freak.  There is no varietal I'd rather have.  But sometimes I find myself at restaurants or bars that specialize in European reds, which has led to my recent discovery of Primitivo. According to wine.com, Primitivo's home province is Apuglia (sometimes called Puglia), located in the "heel" of Italy's boot. Wines made from Primitivo have notes of plum and spice, like Zinfandel, but because of different growing soils and climate, the fruit character is less jammy, the structure more akin to old world wines, with rustic notes of earth and spice, as well as tamed fruit flavors. To me, it seems like people who like Primotivo are the people who are afraid of Zinfandel, but I do really enjoy it!  Here is one of my favorites:

Layer Cake 2007