Meet Marzia Varvaglione –Varvaglione 1921 Business Developer & Marketing and Sales Director. 

Marzia Varvaglione represents the new face of Italian wine and the next generation of the Varvaglione family of Puglia.  Her family’s Varvaglione 1921 winery encompasses more than a century of wine expertise. The story of Varvaglione is also a dynamic chapter in the history of Italian winemaking. 

The wines of Varvaglione represent not only their long history of quality winemaking in Puglia but also their commitment to the land. In a recent presentation during her U.S. marketing tour, she led an immersive experience of a selection of Varvaglione wines that represent the company’s commitment to tradition and its embracing of innovative winemaking technology.

The Masseria Pizzariello is a traditional Pugliese estate that symbolizes the warm hospitality of the region and   its bucolic way of life. 

With more than 100 years of winemaking experience spanning four generations, Varvaglione 1921 is one of the oldest wineries in Southern Italy. Based in Leporano on the Gulf of Taranto in the famous Salento region, it is one of the largest and fastest growing companies in Puglia. 

In recent years, Varvaglione 1921 has captured the attention of wine lovers in over 60 countries with its artful presentation of grape varieties native to Puglia such as Primitivo, Negroamaro, and most recently, Sussumaniello. 

International varieties such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon obtain a particularly unique expression that is appealing to the newer trends and tastes of an ever-changing market. Yet, Varvaglione 1921 maintains an eye toward tradition.

In a recent luncheon presentation at the stylish wine bar and restaurant Corkbuzz in New York’s Union Square, Marzia Varvaglione presented a dazzling array of wines paired with carefully prepared Chef’s Selections from the restaurant. 

Corkbuzz, with its several locations in New York, is unique in the world of wine bars. As a hybrid of wine bar, restaurant, and educational center, it offers a unique experience to today’s young oenophiles. The educational angle is in earnest. Its owner, Laura Maniec, (who was, incidentally, one of my lecturers during the Advanced Sommelier Certification program at the International Culinary Institute in SoHo, New York City) is its owner and creator.

Laura Maniec is also the world’s youngest Master Sommelier. She has successfully created a space for wine appreciation that is both inviting and functional.

Among the wines presented at the Varvaglione tasting were two of Varvaglione’s Organic Wines: 12 e Mezzo Primitivo Puglia IGP and Varvaglione 12 e Mezzo Chardonnay Puglia IGP (both $12.99). 

Developed by the next generation of the Varvagliione family, including Marzia and her siblings Angelo and Francesca, the 12 e Mezzo brand is crafted with a modern approach that beautifully balances the millennial style of easy drinking with classic elegance.

With its startling straw yellow color and flecks of green herbal highlights, 12 e Mezzo Chardonnay IGP is a symphony of elegant spring flowers and delicate citrus flavors. 

A whiff of Mimosa flowers tickles the nose as the palate is caressed with tastes of Meyer lemons, ripe pears, and hints of green apples. At the Corkbuzz tasting luncheon, it paired beautifully with the Chefs Selections of Gem Lettuce Salad with pistachios, English peas, goat cheese and lemon vinaigrette and Hamachi Crudo with ajo bianco, orange and Serrano chilies. 

The wine carried through to hand shaped Cavatelli pasta Cacio e Peppe (Cheese and Pepper sauce. A simple dish that consists of pasta tossed with olive oil or melted butter, crushed black pepper, Romano or Parmesan Cheeses and optional garlic and a few red pepper flakes). 

Varvaglione ‘Papale Linea Oro’ Primitivo di Manduria ($20.99)-This is a very intense, Ruby red wine with brilliant violet hues. It is like looking at a premium Sapphire jewel in the bottle. Its rich aroma of ripe dark red fruit and raspberry jam gives way to intense flavors of blackberries, black cherries with hints of cocoa and licorice. 

Round and soft, there is a final blast of flavor as the wine eases over the palate for a long, satisfying finish. This is a terrific Main Dish wine that went perfectly with the Corkbuzz chef’s perfectly Grilled Flatiron Steak with potato Lyonnais bordelaise and the Grilled Lamb Loin with (my favorites) fava beans, faro, and a lively olive tapenade.

The Shrimp al Ajillo with sherry vinegar, olive oil, chilies and grilled bread was a dish that could go with either wine. Spicy dishes lend themselves naturally to white wines, such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, but they can also pair with a red wine, especially if it has hints of pepper or spice, as the Primitivo does.

Varvaglione Collezione Privata (both $29.99)

Cosimo Varvaglione Collezione Privata Primitivo di Manduria DOP 

All of the members of the Varvaglione family have wines that are named after them. The wine maker signs each of the wines and in this case, Marzia’s father Cosimo graciously lends his signature to the superior wines of the Collezione Privita.

This is a sumptuous wine that is the very definition of the term ‘family reserve.’ Made from grapes grown on 60-year-old vines, the wine is an incredibly round and juicy red wine with a velvety finish. Expressing the rich teroir that abounds in Taranto on the Ionian Sea, it is a wine that possesses a singularly unique finish of fresh red berries, velvety tannins and a subtle residual sweetness that is the essence of Manduria.

Perfect with the Grilled Lamb Loin, Primitivo di Manduria DOP is a wine to also be appreciated on its own or with a bit of strong cheese such as a well-aged Pecorino Romano or Gorgonzola.

Cosimo Varvaglione Collezione Privita Negroamaro IGP-This is a serious wine and worthy of laying down in the cellar if you are a collector of fine Italian wines. A signature wine with intensity and a whopping 15% alcohol, Cosimo Varvaglione Collezione Privata Negroamaro IGP is refined in French Oak barriques and American Tonneau large resting barrels for a minimum of 6 months before release. This intense red wine has deep purple Garnet jewel hints and a voluptuous flavor and texture. 

There is an elegant bonding of dark red fruits in this wine that is enveloped in waves of black pepper, cinnamon, and aromatic licorice flavors.

A sensational equipoise of flavors and aromas dances over the tongue as the wine pirouettes 

Into a lengthy, exquisite finish. Save a bit of this wine for savoring in solitude after the dinner crowd leaves. Have it with Aged Brie or a Davidoff or Macanudo cigar if you are so inclined. I rest my case!

Puglia is known as a unique and historic wine-producing region. It is largely undiscovered and unknown. It is past time to get to know the superior and intriguing wines of Puglia.

Varvaglione 1921 is raising the trajectory of Pugliese winemaking by employing sustainable practices, both in the vineyard and in the winery.

Marzia Varvaglione is an eloquent spokesperson and indelible symbol of the future of this historic but forward-looking wine dynasty. Visit varvaglione.com

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