WINE OF THE WEEK - 2016 Varvaglione Papale Linea Oro Primitivo di Manduria

Hello, fellow wine lover! Welcome to another edition of Wine Wednesday, Wineitupanotch style!

We’re back in Italy this week! I went South, deep down South this time :)

If you’re a regular reader of the blog, you’ll know that every week on Wednesday, I look forward to foraging through the shelves of my local liquor store, on a treasure hunt to hopefully uncover a cool and formerly unfamiliar wine to share with you!  

The special thing here is that if and when I find something good, it’s a wine that you too can actually purchase because it is readily available at the time of writing this blog post entry!  I love this because all too often, you read a review about a great wine and then can’t actually find it, which can be so annoying.  If you want to know more about why and how I do this, be sure to read this blog post where I outline my approach to my weekly Wine Wednesday picks.

As you likely already know, I’m located in Ontario, Canada and I therefore buy my most of the wines for the Wine of the Week feature from the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario).  

However, the wines I pick are generally widely available in most major markets and online too. So if you like what you read, you should be able to find the wine wherever you like to shop.  

For the convenience of readers who are located in Ontario, I always provide the LCBO Product Number, and a direct link to the LCBO website, in my reviews.

And with that, let’s get into this week’s pick!

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2016 Varvaglione Papale Linea Oro Primitivo di Manduria

This week’s wine comes from Puglia, which is unofficially known as the “heel” in the boot-shaped Italy. Edged by the Ionic and Adriatic seas, this area of Italy is well known for its abundant olive groves of all things! With a long history of wine-making however, this is a region that every wine lover should experience and have on their list of favourites. This week’s wine will show you just how great (and affordable!) good wine from Puglia can be!

What does this wine cost?

$23.95/bottle.

Where does this wine come from?

This wine comes from the Primitivo di Manduria DOC in Puglia.

Manduria is considered to be the modern-day home of Primitivo, particularly in Italy, where it is the primary focus.

The Manduria appellation, which is not very large, runs from the coastal town of Taranto for about 40 kms inland. The climate here is very hot and dry. The vineyards in Maduria are ancient and share the land with olive groves, which is another thing that this part of Italy is well known for.

Traditionally, this was a region where a lot of mass wine was produced for blending purposes and it was not seen as producing quality wine. This has definitely been changing in recent years, with more producers and winemakers really focusing on quality wine production and single varietal expressions of Primitivo.

Why is this wine unique?

Well, I think many people would agree that 100% Primitivo from Puglia is not exactly common fare when it comes to the tastes of most wine drinkers that are not European (and maybe even so for some European wine lovers too!). But I think this varietal is absolutely delicious and definitely worthy of your attention!

It is worth noting that Primitivo is also grown in the U.S but there, it is called “Zinfandel”. It is also grown in Croatia.

Who makes this wine?

This wine is made by Varvaglione 1921, an old school producer with over 100 years of wine-making history behind it. Now run by the fourth generation of the family that owns this estate, Varvaglione 1921 is one of the fastest growing producers in Puglia and really setting the path forward for quality wine. They focus primarily on indigenous varieties, but also make a Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc using traditional methods for the Salento region, where they are located.

Click here to learn more about Varvaglione 1921 and their full line-up.

A few Wine Geek “essential facts” about the wine (feel free to skip this if you don’t care about detailed wine-making information!):

Variety - 100% Primitivo

Soil type - calcareous base, diverse mineral rich top soils

Vinification - aged 10 months in American and French oak barrels and barriques

ABV - 14.5%

Residual Sugar - 13 g/L

My tasting notes:

This wine is a very rich and dark maroon in the glass, with a depth that prepares you for what to expect on the palate. On the nose, the wine displays ripe plum, dark cherry and spice notes. On the palate, the wine is beautifully jammy and intense, with blueberry, blackberry and plum notes with hints of tobacco, cinnamon, vanilla and cloves. While the wine does have good tannic structure, which is pretty typical of Primitivo, it is also very smooth, warm and inviting.

Aging potential:

It might be possible to age this wine for a bit, but I don’t think it’ll necessarily notably better. It’s good now - just decant (for about an hour) and enjoy!

Recommendations to Wineitupanotch:

Pair this with red meat to get the best out of it. A great vegan option would be grilled portobello mushroom burgers.

Wineitupanotch Wine Score: 90 points

This is a unique and delicious, high quality wine that is a cut above the average. It’s very delicious!

If you’re located in Ontario, and wish to purchase this wine, you can find it at the LCBO under Product #261784.

FINAL VERDICT:

This is a wonderful, feel good, rich and inviting wine. It’s reminiscent of a night following a full day in the sun on the coast of Italy! Talk about travelling through your glass :)

If you’ve tried this wine already, or decide to pick it up and try it after reading this post, I’d love to hear from you and hear what you think of it! Please do drop me a line.

Until next time, wishing you love, light and of course - good wine! :)

Cheers!

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