Varvaglione
About Varvaglione
Varvaglione 1921 is a fourth-generation, family-owned winery based in Leporano, in the province of Taranto in Puglia, with its roots beginning nearby in Pulsano in 1921. Founder Cosimo Varvaglione began producing wine there more than a century ago, and his son Angelo built the family’s first dedicated cellar in Leporano in 1958. Today, the winery remains in the Varvaglione family under Cosimo and Maria Teresa Varvaglione, with the fourth generation—Marzia, Angelo and Francesca—actively involved in carrying the business forward.
Varvaglione’s strongest connection is to the Primitivo di Manduria territory surrounding Taranto, where the warm Mediterranean climate provides excellent conditions for Puglia’s indigenous varieties. The winery works with more than 150 hectares dedicated to Varvaglione wines, while long-standing partnerships with local growers—some extending more than 30 years—bring its broader vineyard network to over 400 hectares. While Primitivo is the flagship grape, Varvaglione also champions regional varieties including Negroamaro, Susumaniello, Malvasia, Verdeca, Falanghina and Fiano, helping showcase the diversity of southern Puglia rather than focusing on Primitivo alone.
One of the winery’s most compelling stories is Papale, its iconic Primitivo di Manduria collection. The fruit comes from Contrada Papale, land the winery says was once owned by a pope from Puglia. Differences in vine age and winemaking distinguish the Papale bottlings, while the classic Papale Primitivo undergoes controlled-temperature maceration followed by malolactic fermentation and maturation in barrique, tonneau and larger oak barrels. The resulting style is quintessentially Puglian: concentrated and generous, with blackcurrant, cherry, mulberry, fruit preserves, chocolate and licorice, backed by a rich, smooth texture.
Sustainability has become an important part of the family’s modern direction. Varvaglione has developed vineyard-to-bottle sustainability initiatives, including its 12eMezzo sustainable wine project, and maintains certifications including ISO 14001 for environmental management, alongside ISO 9001, ISO 22000 and ISO 22005. Its combination of 100+ years of continuous family ownership, deep roots in the Primitivo di Manduria territory, native Puglian grapes and modern sustainable winemaking gives Varvaglione an especially strong story for selling authentic wines from Southern Italy. Varvaglione
-
-
Family Vineyard
Owned & Operated
-
Historical Estate
& Winemaking Family