Deep ruby color; plum, black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, redcurrant, strawberry jam, oak, cocoa, licorice on the nose and palate.
Dry to off-dry; very smooth tannins; modest acidity. Very ripe fruit gives illusion of sweetness, and there may some residual sugar. Lush, medium-plus body. Grapes harvested from old free-standing vineyards. Maceration and fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel. After full malolactic conversion, aged in French tonneau for minimum of eight months. 14.5% ABV
The wine is a flagship effort from the historic Varvaglione 1921 winery in Leporano, Puglia, in the southern “heel” of Italy. The 100% primitivo grapes are sourced from old vines in the heart of the Primitivo di Manduria denomination. The wine takes it name from the vineyard where the grapes are grown. The vineyard once belonged to the family of Pope Benedict XIII, thus the moniker “Papale”—papal.
Varvaglione is one of the oldest wineries in southern Italy. Angelo and Filomena Varvaglione founded the enterprise in 1921. Cosmo Varvaglione and his wife, Teresa, and their three children—Marzia, Angelo, and Francesca—run the winery today. The operation includes 1,360 acres of vineyards, some 370 acres directly owned by the family. The family maintains decades-long relationships with the other local grape growers. Varvaglione exports to more than 60 countries and is internationally recognized for its quality Puglian winemaking.
The 2020 vintage faced the significant headwinds of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, Pugilia experienced very favorable growing conditions. The 2020 vintage has been noted for producing wines with good balance between ripeness and freshness. This wine reflects that, with a definite nod to rich, robust ripeness.
Today, primitivo is closely associated with Italian winemaking, especially in Puglia. The name means “first” in Italian and references the grape’s early ripening. Early ripening has been especially important in southern Italy’s warm climate. Research, however, indicates the grape originated in Croatia, where it is known as tribidrag or crljenak kaštelanski. The grape likely was brought to the Dalmatian coast by ancient Illyrian people more than 2,000 years ago, settling in the Gioia del Colle area of Puglia. Where, happily, it acquired a name that trips more lightly off English-speaking tongues than its Croatian names.
Primitivo di Manduri, established in 1974, is the most prestigious appellation for primitivo wines. The production area includes some 12,400 acres between the provinces of Taranto and Brindisi, encompassing 18 municipalities. The region is known for producing structured, complex wines with high alcohol thanks to ripeness of the grapes. This effort fits well into that description.
Varvaglione Papale Primitivo di Manduria DOC 2020 is rich, very fruit forward expression of primitivo from the grape’s most celebrated region in the boot of Italy. Intense, concentrated, assertive dark fruits. Varvaglione is one of the oldest and most storied wineries in Puglia, now being run by the fourth generation of Varvaglione family. $26-32
Pairing—grilled meats: beef, pork, wild game. Lamb ragout with cinnamon and quinces; roasted lamb. Spicy meat dishes. Pasta with tomato-based sauces, spaghetti Bolognese, pasta puttanesca. Eggplant parmesan; grilled eggplant; moussaka—eggplant, meat, béchamel (Greek dish); grilled vegetables. Cheese—hard, aged cheeses, parmigiano reggiano, pecorino, smoked gouda, aged gouda, mature cheddar, fontina.
