Varvaglione 1921 looks to the future: Casino Nitti acquired where biodiversity is cultivated

Believe in the land is a mantra for wineries that focus entirely on distinctiveness and quality. This is also true for one of the flagship companies of Puglia and Southern Italy, the historic winery Varvaglione 1921 from Taranto, founded in 1921 by Cosimo Varvaglione and now headed by his grandson Mimmo together with his wife Maria Teresa and their children Marzia, Angelo, and Francesca. Alongside the historic Masseria Pizzariello and the Giardinetto estate, the company now adds another gem of the territory: Casino Nitti, in Marina di Lizzano, an ancient hunting lodge in light stone built around 1550, now a 70-hectare estate overlooking the Ionian Sea. As noted in a statement, Varvaglione (which thus brings together 200 hectares of owned vineyards, producing 4.5 million bottles per year and generating a turnover of 26 million euros, ed) “represents a fascinating cultural challenge: to unite under a single corporate vision two major regions of the South, Puglia and Campania”, explains a note. Casino Nitti will cultivate and enhance native grape varieties from both territories: on the one hand, Primitivo, Negroamaro, and Susumaniello; on the other hand, Greco di Tufo, Aglianico, and Fiano di Avellino. The project also looks to the future with “Vigneto della Biodiversità” - “Biodiversity Vineyard”, an experimental field hosting over 500 minor and Balkan grape varieties, with a special focus on varieties of Caucasian and Mediterranean origin. This initiative is developed in close collaboration with researchers from the University of Milan and the Unisalento, with the aim of studying the adaptability of rare and ancient grape varieties to the changing climate of the Mediterranean context and exploring new rootstocks. With a vision firmly set on the future, the company is also launching its Metodo Classico “CÀ”, its first of this kind (made from Fiano grapes grown in the best vineyards of Masseria Pizzariello in Leporano). The name pays tribute to Carlotta, daughter of Marzia Varvaglione, who officially represents the fifth and future generation of winemakers in the family.