Deep ruby-garnet color; black fruit, blackberry, black plum, black cherry, blackcurrant, licorice, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut, chocolate, spice on the nose and palate.
Off-dry (9.0 g/L RS); smooth tannins and acidity (5.1 g/L TA). Full body; rich dark fruits in the mouth. Simple, straightforward, with food-friendly low alcohol of 12.5% ABV—as the label celebrates; “12 e Mezzo” is Italian for “12 and a half.” Made with organic grapes. Ripeness and small amount of residual sugar creates mild sweetness, although some grapes harvested early for freshness and to hit the 12.5% ABV target. Temperature-controlled maceration and fermentation in stainless steel, followed by complete malolactic conversion. The wine spends a brief time in wood, unspecified in the technical specs, but the oak influence is there, just not a major note.
Varvaglione is one of the oldest wineries in southern Italy. Angelo and Filomena Varvaglione founded the enterprise in 1921. The operation focused on bulk wine sold to others. Their son, Cosimo Varvaglione, 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, Cosimo’s son, his wife Maria Teresa and their children Marzia, Angelo, and Francesca. 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 the “heel” of the Italian boot. It 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. Primitivo is the region’s signature red grape. Primitivo means “first” in Italian and references the grape’s early ripening. Early ripening is especially important in southern Italy’s warm climate.
Varvaglione Primitivo 12 e Mezzo, Puglia IGP 2023 is a rich, smooth, very slightly sweet (off-dry) wine made using primitivo, Puglia’s principal red grape. It is notable for reduced alcohol—12.5% ABV—as announced as part of its name on the label (“12 e Mezzo” means 12 and a half in Italian). Simple, easy drinker built to go with food. $18-19
Pairing—Grilled, roasted meats; lamb chops, pork ribs, beef tenderloin, pork ribs, smoked brisket, beef burgers, simple grilled steaks, meat loaf. Tomato-based pasta and meat-lover pizza. Comfort foods in general. Avoid very spicy dishes; delicate buttery fish; light chicken preparations. Cheese—Aged pecorino; pecorino Romano, pecorino Sardo, Puglian pecorino. Aged or semi-aged cow’s milk cheeses; parmigiano-reggiano, grana padano; asiago-style cheese with a drizzle of honey. Washed-rind or semi-hard cheese, provolone piccante, Scamorza affumicata. Sharp, ripe cheddar with almonds, walnuts, dried figs, or small bowl of olives.
