Vignai da Duline is on my all-star team. I found gold from those beautiful Friuli hills—finesse, touch, and class. Delicious AND interesting.

—Kermit Lynch

Vignai da Duline isn’t just one of Kermit Lynch’s best Italian acquisitions, it’s a winery with deep roots in Friuli’s past, present, and future.

In the late ‘90s, husband-and-wife team Lorenzo Mocchiutti and Federica Magrini inherited a few hectares of vines from Lorenzo’s grandfather, planted to indigenous grapes like Friulano and Schioppettino as well as international varieties like Merlot and Chardonnay. Once these long-neglected vineyards were rehabilitated, a two-pronged philosophy emerged: “No Trimming the Shoots” and “No Herbicides”.

“No Herbicides” is simple — rows of alfalfa are planted between the vines to edge out unwanted “weeds”. But “Don’t Trim the Shoots”? Most vignerons prune excess leaves and stems, allowing the vine to direct all of its efforts and nutrients to a few bunches of grapes. Lorenzo and Federica would rather let nature take the reins, allowing the vine to achieve a natural state of equilibrium. Everything is hand-harvested, sorted more than once, and allowed to ferment naturally. Take care of nature, and nature will take care of you.

The couple’s efforts are clearly evident in their wines. They are energetic and full of freshness, and while they offer lots of sheer drinking pleasure, they’re also serious enough to spark contemplation. The attention to detail at each step of the process is unmistakable — each sip feels innately special.

Today, we’re very excited to offer a back-vintage Chardonnay (one that inspired legendary winemaker Jean-Marc Roulot to host Lorenzo in Meursault to pick his brain) and a current release Refosco. Both wines show off Friuli’s trademark lushness alongside a rarer minerality and sense of terroir. The Chardonnay is impressive in its concentration — says us, but also Roulot — and its balance of ripe, golden fruit with tension and nerve. It’s aged in big (2500L) French oak barrels, mostly very old. This perfect balance starts in the vineyard, where soils of limestone and sandstone help bring out mineral salinity as well as warmth and openness.

Refosco grows on both sides of the Adriatic, and much of it is turned into rich, muscular and inky wines. Duline’s version is supple and delicate, retaining all the wild berry and plum flavor inherent to the grape without bitterness, rough tannins, or excessive alcohol levels (it clicks in at a reasonable 13%). It ferments and ages in big oak casks, then ages for a year in bottle before release. Juicy, with a hint of spice, it’s the perfect thing to drink with a bit of a chill at your next barbecue or backyard hang.

Vignai da Duline isn’t new, but they’re not exactly a household name, either. We’d like to change that. If they’re on Kermit Lynch’s all-star team, they certainly deserve a spot on your roster. 

Vignai da Duline, Refosco dal Penduncolo Rosso "Morus Nigra", 2021 $45.99

Vignai da Duline, Chardonnay "Ronco Pitotti", 2018 $52.99