Winemaker Notes
The name Varvara was chosen in honor of Baroness Varvara Wrangel, spouse of Count Ugolino della Gherardesca and greatgrandmother of the present-day owner Federico Zileri.
The grapes were harvested manually, with saelection on the vineyard and as well as before destemming.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
There is a touch of extra softness and richness that reflects the warm and dry conditions of this vintage. The 2017 Bolgheri Rosso Varvàra brings plump and rich primary fruit with blackberry, black cherry or plum at the front. There is a note of sweetness here that gives the wine a very accessible and immediate personality that would work perfectly with a Tuscan wild boar sauce over tagliatelle or a simple ragù. The blend is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
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James Suckling
Fresh currants and herbs on the nose, following through to a full body, round and savory tannins and just hints of jam, spices and licorice. Richer style here. Try after 2020.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
An outstanding wine region made famous by Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, who planted Cabernet Sauvignon vines for his own consumption in 1940s on his San Guido estate, and called the resulting wine, Sassicaia. Today the region’s Tuscan reds are based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which can be made as single varietal wines or blends. The local Sangiovese can make up no more than 50% of the blends. Today Sassicaia has its own DOC designation within the Bogheri DOC appellation.