Le Due Terre

Set in the picturesque rolling green hills of Friuli, just a stone’s throw from the Slovenian border, Le Due Terre craft stunning wines that perfectly express their origin. The name means ‘the two soils’, and refers to the alternating bands of clay and marl sandstone flysch (locally known as ponca) that are prevalent in the area. Established in 1984 by Silvana Forte and Flavio Basilicata, and now joined by their daughter Cora, their aim is to work as honestly and transparently as possible in the vineyard and the cellar.

To that end, although this tiny 5-hectare estate is farmed organically, they are not certified, preferring that their name be a guarantee of quality. In fact, Flavio works to keep copper treatments even lower than the levels permitted under organic rules. Both ‘Sacrisassi’ wines are blends of local grape varieties, and as they are field blends, the proportions are decided by what is planted, not by adjustments in the winery. Each vintage can therefore express its nuances clearly.

In the cellar, everything is kept as simple as possible. Fermentations are spontaneous and not temperature-controlled. Regardless of the vintage, the wines spend 22 months on their lees in used oak barrels, with no racking. Avoiding oxygenation in this way allows Le Due Terre to use minimal sulphites when bottling. If this is ‘back to basics’ winemaking, the results are anything but.