VIGNAI DU DULINE 2023 Schioppettino (Friuli Venezia Giulia, IT)

One of the coolest stories in the store, this wine is made by husband and wife team Lorenzo Mocchiutti and Federica Magrinil, who inherited a few hectares of vines from Lorenzo’s grandfather in the 90's. The neglected vines were a mess of international and old, native varietals such as this one - Schioppettino. They put a lot of love into reviving the old vines, and today successfully hold a few vineyards in this area of Italy that borders Slovenia. Their appraoch is 100% holistic - no pesticides, no machines - they refuse to even trim vine shoots. To them, grapes carry the memory of their enviornment, and they take great care to make a great growing environment. 

This is a must try - Schioppettino is incredible smooth, silky, mineral and refined. Red fruit notes layered with herbs and spices linger on the palate. Medium bodied, leaning light, but with lots of smooth complexity. It is aged 10m in barrique. Super versatile, try this with charcuterie or pasta dinner.