Just over an hour south of Nice, France in the Italian appellation of Riviera Ligure di Ponente, the village of Ortovero is home to the source of today’s wine. Nestled between Piedmont and Tuscany in the Italian Riviera, this intimidating terrain is not for a vigneron who seeks the path of least resistance. Nevertheless, the salted vines rooted in high elevation alpine soils deliver something magical that makes all the effort worth it. With round and opulent texture, coupled with incredible salinity, minerality and ample freshness, this wine is practically an anomaly. All of these factors coalesce to deliver incredible weight and concentration with unusually elevated brightness and an unforgettable sense of place.
The Durin Family’s winery is nestled in the cradle of the Ortovero Valley, just seven miles from the coast. Laura and Antonio Basso inherited the property from Antionio’s father, who inherited it from his grandfather. They are wholly dedicated to green harvesting and incredibly low yields, which translates to unctuous concentration and an unparalleled sense of place. The vines that climb up the steep, shallow terraces behind the winery are necessarily worked by hand. Surrounded by olive trees and a staggering view of the Mediterranean, this picturesque site delivers the pitch perfect balance and is one of the most versatile food wines imaginable.
This wine exhibits a highly concentrated light yellow core with green reflections on the rim. The nose smells of the Mediterranean with aromatics of salt preserved lemon, just ripened white peach, a hint of green mango peel, lime blossoms, yellow wildflowers and wet stones. The palate is medium-plus in body and boasts immense concentration and texture, focused minerality and bright acidity. Myriad flavors unfold, layer by layer, to reveal melon rind, salted peach, lime zest, wet wild herbs and finely crushed wet rocks. This beauty is at its peak and will stay there for the next year and a half. To experience this wine’s vivid personality in all its glory, pull from the fridge and decant for 20-30 minutes to allow the wine to breath and the temperature to rise. Serve in Bordeaux stems alongside a whole grilled fish atop a
bed of Ligurian Pesto Spaghetti for quick trip to the Italian Riviera.
