Vignai da Duline
Friuli’s Finest
by Anthony Lynch
2024 Venezia Giulia Friulano “La Duline”
Italy | Friuli
Federica Magrini and Lorenzo Mocchiutti, aka Vignai da Duline, have made waves in Italy and beyond for both the outstanding quality of their wines and their visionary approach to regenerative farming, rooted in traditional ways of working the land in the gentle foothills of Friuli. It’s telling that, at a vigneron dinner celebrating KLWM’s fiftieth anniversary two years ago, a Duline Friulano stood up to aged gems we served from other all-stars including Raveneau, Quintarelli, and Vieux Télégraphe. The producers in attendance were positively wowed, and do you know how hard it is to impress a French winemaker with foreign wines?!
Made from Tocai Friulano vines planted in 1920 by Lorenzo’s great-grandfather, this bottling demonstrates why we consider Duline among the very finest we have the privilege to import. It is a dry white with great touch and class, showcasing Friuli’s capacity to yield delicious wines that stimulate and satiate the palate, mind, and soul.
2024 Venezia Giulia Schioppettino
Italy | Friuli
Dating back to 1977, these are among the first Schioppettino vines planted in Friuli’s modern history. This local red grape—notoriously finicky in the vineyard—fell out of favor after World War II, to the point of not even being recognized by authorities among the region’s permitted varieties. A small group of growers, tied to the history it represented and encouraged by influential Italian wine journalist Luigi Veronelli, rediscovered this heirloom in the early 1970s and launched a revival. Duline’s version features low alcohol and a buoyant texture that makes it easy to pair and hard to put down. It crackles over the palate with bright acidity, freshly milled black pepper, and enticing notes of tart berries and flowers.