Vignai da Duline Morus Alba

Lorenzo Mocchiutti and Federica Magrini, the husband-and-wife team behind Vignai da Duline, began their estate in the late 90s after inheriting vines from Lorenzo’s grandfather. The couple seek to produce wines where “the grapes carry a memory of the earth they grew in.” To achieve this goal, they farm organically and refuse to trim the shoots of the plants, allowing each vine to seek its own equilibrium between grapes and leaves. They also benefit from the estate’s old vines, some of which date all the way back to 1940.

Vignai da Duline is located in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, a region in the northeast of Italy that borders Slovenia. It has a fascinating viticultural history, one that combines the historical traditions of the countries it straddles with the influence of international trends from the late twentieth century. It’s very common to find varieties like Merlot and Chardonnay here, with plantings of these grapes being common after World War II. This confluence of traditions has resulted in singular wines with a character all their own. In Duline’s Morus Alba bottling, you get a perfect encapsulation of that character. 

The Morus Alba, named for the white mulberry trees you’ll find in Duline’s vineyards and used as their logo, contains an indegenous varietal (Malvasia Istriana) and an international one (Sauvignon Blanc). It is rich, aromatic, and weighty, with enough heft to stand up to strong dishes without sacrificing freshness. It pairs perfectly with hearty and cheesy dishes like risotto with winter vegetables.