Complex, layered wine made with the negroamaro grape, a key black-skinned grape in Salento, the sun-washed peninsula in the heel of Italy’s boot. This is a stellar example of what can be done with the grape. Easy drinker over-delivers. $28-30
The wine’s “IGP” designation is part of Italy’s rococo classification system. It essentially is the third tier, with DOCG and DOC ranking above it. Of course, it is not that simple. “IGP” is the European Union designation parallel to Italy’s IGT; producers can choose which acronym to adopt. With its large export business, Varvaglione elects to use the EU designation. It is supposed to represent a step above “table wine”—the lowest designation—but in practice it is the catch-all for grapes and blends that do not meet strict DOCG and DOC regulations. There are many very fine IGP/IGT wines, including Super Tuscans and this effort.
Negroamaro grapes are native to Puglia, especially to the Salento peninsula. The name loosely translates as “black and bitter.” It has been grown in southern Italy for at least 1,500 years. DNA shows a relationship with verdicchio and sangiovese, putting it firmly as part of Italy’s native-grape patrimony. Vines are vigorous with the potential of very high yields, so pruning and yield control are crucial to quality. While it can stand alone as a varietal, as it does here, it also often is blended with malvasia nera, primitivo, sangiovese, or montepulciano.
Varvaglione is one of the oldest wineries in southern Italy. Cosimo Varvaglione founded the winery in Pulsano in 1921. Initially, the winery focused on bulk wine sold to others, with the Italian navy in Taranto among the first clients. Cosimo’s son, Angelo, built the first permanent cellar in 1958 in Leporano. It is still used as a sale point today.
The enterprise shifted from bulk sales to bottling in the early 2000s. The winery is now owned and managed by the third and fourth generations, led by Angelo Varvaglione and his wife Maria Teresa and their children Marzia, Angelo, and Francesca. The largest family-owned cellar in Puglia, the company produces some five million bottles a year and exports to more than 70 countries. Grapes come from 370 acres of estate vines and some 1,000 acres of affiliated growers who have worked with the Varvaglione family for more than 30 years.
Puglia is a long, mostly low-lying peninsula in southern Italy with a coastline on the Adriatic Sea to the east and the Ionian Sea to the south. Bari is the regional capital. The Varvaglione operation is located in the warmer Salento peninsula, a powerhouse producer of ripe reds and rosato (rosé) wines. The region encompasses some 230,000 acres under vine and accounts for roughly 10 percent of Italian wine production.
Varvaglione Cosimo Varvaglione Collezione Privata Old Vines Negroamaro del Salento IGP 2021: Deep ruby color; dark cherry, blackberry, black plum, black pepper, chocolate, toasted oak, cinnamon, licorice, balsamic on the nose and palate.
Dry; velvety tannins; moderate acidity. Full body, smooth, excellent mouthfeel. Made with negroamaro grapes from old vines. Fermentation and maceration occur in temperature-controlled stainless steel, followed by malolactic conversion, then aging for six months in French and American oak. Yields held back to increase quality. The temperature-controlled fermentation preserves the fruit quality, while maceration builds color and structure. Together, the cellar work tames negroamaro’s rustic edges. A signature balsamic presence persists on an admirably long finish. 15% ABV
Pairing: Grilled, roasted steaks, barbecue, roasted lamb with rosemary; braised beef, osso buco, beef short ribs, pot roast in red wine sauce. Traditional Puglian fare—braciole (meat rolls simmered in tomato sauce), tiella (rice, potato and mussel casserole), orecchiette pasta with broccoli rabe. Rich pasta dishes with hearty meat-based gravies. Grilled, roasted eggplant, mushrooms, lentil-based dishes. Cheese: Aged hard cheeses, parmigiano-reggiano, aged pecorino, aged provolone; gorgonzola, roquefort, stilton; soft, creamy for contrast, taleggio, robiola, brie, camembert.
