Earlier this year I highlighted the wine region of Puglia, but following that month’s feature I had the opportunity to sample a couple of wines from the Varvaglione winery in Puglia and connect with Marzia Varvaglione, 4th generation of the Varvaglione that helps run winery today. Before I jump into this month’s feature on the wines of the Veneto let’s learn about the Varvaglione estate and their flagship wines and grape, Primitivo di Manduria. 

The winery – Varvaglione 

The Varaglione family has been making wine from over 100 years and is one of the oldest wineries in southern Italy. Located in Leporano, outside of Taranto in Puglia. Initially the winery focused on bulk wines, but today with the 4th generation, siblings Marzio, Angelo and Francesca, along with their parents, Cosimo, whom is the owner and winemaker, and his wife Maria Teresa, the winery has advanced significantly from their beginnings.  

The focus of Varvaglione is on the native grapes of Puglia to include for the red grapes Susuamaniello, Primitivo, Negroamaro, Aglianico and Malvasia Nera. For white native grapes of Puglia they produce Verdeca, Malvasia Bianca, Fiano and Falanghina. Their wines span across IGT, DOC levels along with the Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale DOCG.  

Varvaglione’s wines are produced from grapes covering about 1,360 acres with about 370 acres that are family owned and the rest from farmers and partner growers that they’ve been working with for over 30 years. Today the winery produces over 5 million bottles and has also become a certified