It was an idyllic life for these vibrant, healthy women and men, whose golden skin radiated from being kissed by the Southern Italian sun as they sat on their gorgeous stone porches, highlighted by the sunrise, which added an extra glow to their off-white-colored homes. The cool breeze from the Ionian Sea carried with it the delightful aromas of saltiness and notes of clementines from the blossoming citrus trees that surrounded the vineyards, creating a wonderful atmosphere for the weekday morning view of the parade – the parade of children. No one had to worry about the youngest children finding a bit of independence by taking themselves to school. The tiny community of this country village, seemingly out of a fairytale, had many adults in the close-knit community keeping an eye on them. But it wasn’t only about overseeing the children; it was also a fantastic show, and some of the kids would put on a comedy act as they pranced by, competing for attention and trying to get the loudest roar of laughter from the crowd.
Yet one day, the impossible happened: a six-year-old boy wasn’t in his classroom, and the school called the parents, which then quickly turned into much of the town taking to the streets to find little Cosimo, as well as Cosimo’s best friend, who was also missing. As they searched all the places where the kids like to play, with neither in sight, the hearts of his parents and many of the others close to the family started to race as images of the boys being injured by falling down rugged cliffs started to flood their minds, maybe they were bleeding or bones were broken; time was of the essence as they yelled his name with an increased intensity as the minutes, which seemed like years, ticked by.
Finally, someone found him and his friend and yelled out to the others. It turned out that little Cosimo was on a road far away from any desirable place. So they asked him if he was planning to run away with his friend, and why he would do such a thing. By this time, his eyes were as big as saucers, as he hadn’t thought he would cause such a commotion, and he just froze while being interrogated by the town. So his parents knelt down and softly asked if anything was bothering him that made him want to leave home, and no matter what it was, he could tell them.
At that moment, little Cosimo looked up at his parents’ worried faces and said that he would never want to leave home, as no other place could be as wonderful, mainly for the reason that they made wine. All he wanted to do was spend time in the cellar watching the winemaking process, because it was the most fascinating place in the world. So, he wanted to bring his best friend to show him the incredible cellar he had always talked about, but he got lost along the way.
That young child would go on to make a wide range of styles of the most important native grape variety from his precious homeland: Primitivo.
Varvaglione 1921
Almost 70 years later, that little boy, Cosimo Varvaglione, along with his wife and three adult children, is the owner and winemaker of his family’s century-old winery, named Varvaglione 1921, which commemorates the year it was established. According to his oldest daughter, Marzia, he remains as passionate about wine as he was when he was a child, and he has instilled that love in all of his children.
The winery is situated in the southern Italian region of Puglia, known as “the heel of the boot” due to Italy’s shape on a map, in the tiny town of Leporano, located in the wine sub-region of Salento. They were the first to have a wine cellar in Leporano, as in the past it was common for vineyard owners to sell their grapes to larger companies to produce inexpensive table wine. However, the Varvaglione family was very quality-minded from the start with the notion that they could make fantastic wines that reflected the stunning beauty of their area, rather than taking the easier route of becoming one of the many grape suppliers to giant corporations. So, they committed their resources to making their own wines and established a business and marketing plan to promote their premium wines, despite the fact that there was no previous Puglia family winery that had found such success when they first started.
Yet today they are one of the most well-established 100% privately owned wineries in Southern Italy, and as Marzia has noted, she and her siblings are just as passionate as their father, as they grew up seeing how much joy making wine brought him, as it is not just a job, it is a way of life. Her sister has even gotten bitten by the winemaking bug and works side by side with their father in the cellar.
Primitivo
Primitivo is a red grape variety native to the wine region of Puglia, with a history dating back to at least the 1800s. It has a wide range, producing either big, rich wines with an explosion of fruit and spice or more medium-bodied wines with layers of savory notes and fresher fruit. Well, the Varvaglione family doesn’t believe in extremes. They craft their top-tier Primitivo wines with an ideal balance of fresh acidity, plenty of juicy fruit, a blend of spices and a sense of place. Since their vineyards are situated right by the sea in the South West section of Puglia, all of their wines have a distinctive salinity.
The Varvaglione Primitivo wine range is impressive with its high quality and varying expressions from their award-winning flagship wine “Papale” that comes from a plot of old vines, the “Cosimo” named after the head of the family and head winemaker that is a top selection from different plots of old vines and an innovative Primitivo light red wine that is called “12 e Mezzo” and it is only 12.5% alcohol, one of their many research projects with the University of Udine and the University of Rome Tor Vergata. The 12.5% alcohol version, “12 e Mezzo,” does not employ any techniques to remove alcohol, as some other lower-alcohol wines may do. Instead, it uses temperature-controlled fermentation, which allows for the retention of all flavors without the higher alcohol levels, a process that their research has refined. The results are fantastic with a wine that has a pristine purity.
Recently, Marzia Varvaglione visited New York City while promoting her family’s wines, and she stopped into a Nike store to buy something for her young daughter who was traveling with her at the time. As a tall, strong woman with the gait of a champion, Marzia always makes an incredible impression. When she went up to the register, the young man ringing her up asked if she was a professional athlete. She guessed that he thought she was a tennis player, as the U.S. Open was taking place during that time. She was a professional athlete, but not a tennis player; she was a pro basketball player back in Italy. So, when she told the young man at the register about her athletic past, he was overwhelmed with enthusiasm and wanted her autograph and a photo with her. It was quite a fantastic scene for her four-year-old daughter to witness her mother being treated like a superstar, an incredible memory she will always cherish.
Although with all the past glory of being a basketball player, the memory that stands out the most to Marzia is when she returned to work at the winery in 2013 and became her father’s shadow, never leaving his side; she was then able to appreciate his brilliance in a different light. At the time, her father was experimenting with a blend sourced from some of their old vines. Once she tasted how it was on another level of excellence, she told him he had to bottle it separately under a label that bore his name as well as his signature – that became the “Cosimo Varvaglione” Primitivo. And so, as much as any mother would love her daughter to see someone treat her like a celebrity, Marzia knows the best memory will be when her daughter, one day in the future, becomes her shadow as an adult and they create a new special bottling together.
A few of their Primitivo wines:
2023 Varvaglione 1921 “12 e Mezzo” Organic Primitivo, Puglia, Italy: 100% Primitivo from 100% certified organic grapes. Marzia noted that, although they only have two certified organic wines, 90% of their fruit comes from organically managed vineyards, which comprise 40% of their own vineyards and 60% of other growers with whom her family has had a long-standing relationship. Yet, it is too challenging to be completely organic every year in Puglia, which is why they can only certify a limited number of plots. The name “12 e Mezzo” indicates that this wine is only 12.5% abv. A lovely light red wine that is ideally served cooler than room temperature, with 10 to 15 minutes in the refrigerator doing the trick. The nose has nuances of the violets, salted crushed red cherries and a touch of black tea leaves and black pepper in the background with flavors of black cherries and a soft texture with refreshing acidity.
2021 Varvaglione 1921 “Papale Linea Oro” Primitivo di Manduria, Puglia, Italy: 100% Primitivo from a vineyard named Papale Linea Oro, meaning the property of the Pope, in the designated DOC high-quality wine area of Primitivo di Manduria that is known for top Primitivo wines. Back in the 1700s, a Pope from Puglia was in office, and as a result, the best vineyards of the time were named after him. The label on this wine is a copy of a Naples newspaper article published in 1724, which stated that it was impossible to distinguish between day and night in Puglia for a time, as there were so many fireworks going off to celebrate the Pope. Sourced from old vines ranging between 40 to 90 years old, and only the best vintages are released. The nose of this wine is remarkably complex, featuring notes of cocoa nibs, forest floor, cherry compote and black truffles, all woven together with fine tannins and a long, flavorful finish.
2021 Varvaglione 1921, Collezione Privata “Cosimo Varvaglione” Primitivo di Manduria, Puglia, Italy: 100% Primitivo from a strict selection of old vines that average around 70 years old. Captivating bouquet with smoldering earth, cinnamon and hints of espresso, featuring multifaceted fruit characteristics of richer plum tart flavors intermixed with fresh raspberries, accompanied by bright acidity and an elegant structure, with intense concentration and a superb length of flavor.
A couple of other wines in the Varvaglione 1921 lineup that are not Primitivo:
2021 Varvaglione 1921 Collezione Privata “Cosimo Varvaglione” Negroamaro Salento, Puglia, Italy: 100% Negroamaro from old vines. Negroamaro is a bigger, more structured wine than Primitivo and finds its home in the Salento area of Puglia. Aromas of fresh herbs are balanced by generous blackberry compote flavors, with enticing notes of black cardamom and cloves. The wine has a big structure with lots of tannins, yet it has a lovely quality that supports the fruit without overly dominating the wine. This wine will make great old bones.
2024 Varvaglione 1921 “12 e Mezzo” Organic Chardonnay, Puglia, Italy: The name “12 e Mezzo” indicates that this wine is only 12.5% abv. Majority Chardonnay with a small amount of Verdeca, a native grape of Puglia that is soft, elegant, with nice acidity, Malvasia with its beautiful aromatics and Fiano del Salento, which is different from Fiano di Avellino found in the Campania region, as it is very salty with a big body. This wine is made with certified organic grapes, and blending the Chardonnay with other grape varieties not only adds additional dimensions but also ensures the consistent use of organic grapes year after year. The nose has a saline minerality with bright notes of lemon drops, accented by pretty floral notes. It has vibrant acidity on the palate, with flavors of juicy peach highlighted by seashells.