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2016 Delle Venezie Bianco “Morus Alba”

Vignai da Duline
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Morus Alba is a magical blend of old-vine Malvasia Istriana grown in red clay with a rare, ancient clone of Sauvignon in sandstone marl soil (known as flysch). The very different, yet complementary grapes and terroirs create a Friulian wine experience with few equals. Aged in neutral barrels with complete malo, Morus Alba is a full-bodied, textured white with many layers. The tiny yields give an intensely concentrated wine of immense complexity, with delicate aromas of white flowers and ripe citrus soaring over a deep, rich structure, all balanced on a taut beam of minerality. It should be decanted and savored in large Burgundy glasses, as you would do with a fine Meursault. Discovering each arrival from Duline—getting acquainted with each, beginning to realize what you’ve got in your glass—is a profound experience.

I think Morus Alba is best drunk in front of the sea, with fish appetizers—even raw. One night in a restaurant, I witnessed a man pour a splash directly into a shucked oyster. It was a simple, yet powerful pairing. Otherwise, I suggest a vegetable risotto, or a pasta with zucchini and shrimp.
—Federica Magrini of Vignai da Duline

Dixon Brooke


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Technical Information
Wine Type: white
Vintage: 2016
Bottle Size: 750mL
Blend: 60% Malvasia Istriana, 40% Sauvignon
Appellation: Delle Venezie
Country: Italy
Region: Friuli
Producer: Vignai da Duline
Winemaker: Federica Magrini, Lorenzo Mochiutti
Vineyard: Planted in 1940 & 1979, .36 ha (Malvasia) 1.04 ha (Sauvignon
Soil: Red soil (Malvasia) Flysch soil (Sauvignon)
Aging: Aged for 11 months in 2.5 hl oak barrels
Farming: Organic (practicing)
Alcohol: 14%

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About The Region

Friuli

map of Friuli

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.

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Where the newsletter started

Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch

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