2022 ChevernyDomaine du Salvard
France | Loire
$22
Producers
It may not be from Burgundy, but it was inspired by it. Our friends at Duline studied their incredible terroir at Ronco Pitotti for years and experimented for many vintages before they were finally ready to release their first Pinot Nero. The resulting wine is nothing short of brilliant and definitely a contender for Italy’s best example, to my palate. Its secret weapon is the soil of ponca (in the local dialect)—a flaky, layered limestone/sandstone rich in minerals—on which the grape is grown. Medium robe, aromatic complexity, elegance, length, silky tannin, and stunning flavor are all on display.
—Dixon Brooke
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2015 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Pinot Nero |
Appellation: | Friuli Colli Orientali |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Friuli |
Producer: | Vignai da Duline |
Winemaker: | Federica Magrini, Lorenzo Mochiutti |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1940 & 1980, .96 ha |
Soil: | Marl-sandstone and limestone flysch |
Aging: | Aged for 11 mos in 2.5 hl oak barrels ranging from the second to eighth passage |
Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
Vignai da Duline Italy | Friuli | Friuli Colli Orientali
Vignai da Duline Italy | Friuli | Friuli Colli Orientali
Vignai da Duline Italy | Friuli | Grave
Vignai da Duline Italy | Friuli | Delle Venezie
Vignai da Duline Italy | Friuli | Friuli Colli Orientali
Vignai da Duline Italy | Friuli | Venezia Giulia
Friuli may be forever tied to its bland, acidic Pinot Grigios, which at one point saturated the export market, but a deeper look reveals a captivating array of unique grape-growing sites, distinctive indigenous varieties, and passionate small growers keen on preserving a rich tradition of winemaking.
Here in Italy’s northeast corner, the region is shared between the Julian Alps in the north and plains leading to the Adriatic Sea in the south, bound by the Veneto to the west and Slovenia to the east. While it is one of the wettest regions of Italy—and all of Europe, for that matter—Friuli benefits from the push-and-pull of cool air currents from the mountains meeting warmer breezes from the Adriatic. A crescent-shaped slice of foothills, where both play a role, tends to produce the region’s finest wines.
Nothing is more emblematic to Friulian wine than a crisp, peachy Ribolla Gialla served with thinly sliced prosciutto San Daniele, a local specialty. And yet, this only begins to tell the story: high-acid, mineral-driven whites from a number of local varieties including Tocai Friulano, Pinot Grigio, and Malvasia range from light and crisp to powerful and age-worthy, complementing Adriatic shellfish, hearty mountain cheeses, and everything in between. Native reds like Schioppettino, Terrano, and Refosco all have something unique to say, while there has even been significant success with French varieties like Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Merlot, all long established in the region.
Friuli’s diversity is its strength, and it keeps us coming back for more. In fact, Kermit imported one of the region’s first organic growers toward the start of his career; our more recent collaboration with producers like Vignai da Duline is a testament to the enormous potential when devoted artisans put their hearts into Friuli’s fascinating terroir.
Edi Kante Italy | Friuli | Venezia Giulia
Vignai da Duline Italy | Friuli | Friuli Colli Orientali
Edi Kante Italy | Friuli | Venezia Giulia
Vignai da Duline Italy | Friuli | Grave
Vignai da Duline Italy | Friuli | Friuli Colli Orientali
Edi Kante Italy | Friuli | Venezia Giulia
Vignai da Duline Italy | Friuli | Delle Venezie
Vignai da Duline Italy | Friuli | Friuli Colli Orientali
Edi Kante Italy | Friuli | Venezia Giulia
Vignai da Duline Italy | Friuli | Delle Venezie
Vignai da Duline Italy | Friuli | Venezia Giulia
Vignai da Duline Italy | Friuli | Friuli Colli Orientali
For the wines that I buy I insist that the winemaker leave them whole, intact. I go into the cellars now and select specific barrels or cuvées, and I request that they be bottled without stripping them with filters or other devices. This means that many of our wines will arrive with a smudge of sediment and will throw a more important deposit as time goes by, It also means the wine will taste better.
Drinking distilled spirits, beer, coolers, wine and other alcoholic beverages may increase cancer risk, and, during pregnancy, can cause birth defects. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/alcohol
Many food and beverage cans have linings containing bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical known to cause harm to the female reproductive system. Jar lids and bottle caps may also contain BPA. You can be exposed to BPA when you consume foods or beverages packaged in these containers. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/bpa