Lessini Durello DOC is home to some increasingly popular traditional method sparkling wine. Known for its mineral driven, steely character, the wines are made exclusively from the Durella grape.
Situated between Vicenza and Verona, the fascinating volcanic terroir of Lessini Durello DOC is starting to produce some extremely interesting sparkling wines. A younger generation of drinkers seeking to explore Italian bubbles beyond Prosecco and Franciacorta is finding plenty to enjoy in the wine’s characteristic crisp and steely style. Their naturally vivacious character is the perfect accompaniment to the seafood antipasti of the Veneto. That being said, Durello, made from the Durella grape, is a divisive wine. The key variety, Durella, whose name probably derives from the Italian word for tough, doesn’t mislead observers. It is in fact a difficult, thick skinned grape prone to aggressive levels of acidity. In the wrong hands it can produce notably rough wine. Detractors also point to the difficulty with which the wines seem to accumulate fruit character and this is not an unfair observation. Even at their best, Durella based wines pair a mineral character with subtle lemon flavours and white flowers and rarely anything beyond this.
