Liguria, Italy
To fashion the Durin estate’s impressive portfolio of Ligurian delicacies, winemaker Antonio Basso tends 259 separate, small vineyards on steep hillsides just three miles away from the Mediterranean Sea. The rare Rossese grape (known as Tibouren in nearby Provence) is much beloved and greatly respected by the tiny number of producers who work with it and understand it. The labor of love required to farm Basso’s vineyard sites results in one of the world’s most charming, saline, sea-kissed, transparent red wines. Durin’s 2019 Rossese casts a limpid garnet robe followed by an exotic, orchard-fruited nose of wild cherries, apricots, persimmons, lilac, and pink peppercorns. Juicy and bursting with tart cherry, fig and strawberry fruit, the wine adds notes of rhubarb, lavender, sandalwood, and cinnamon-scented potpourri. Lingering impressions of sweet cherries come to the fore on the wine’s brilliant red-fruited finish. Joyful, distinctive, and a wonderful choice for a late summer or early autumn red, enjoy Durin’s Rossese now and over the coming two years with grilled anchovies, fritto misto, pizza, dry-rubbed baby back ribs, and sauteed squashes.
A September 2020 newsletter selection
