Durella

Durella is a grape defined by its ferocious, mouth-watering acidity, a trait that has made it one of Italy’s most exciting sources of sparkling wine. Grown in the volcanic Lessini hills between Verona and Vicenza, it produces taut, mineral, high-energy wines that reward drinkers who love bracing freshness. Once overlooked as too austere, it has found its true calling in the pursuit of great Italian bubbles.

Origins and history Durella takes its name from the Italian word for hard, a reference both to its thick, tough skins and to its formidable acidity. It has grown for centuries in the Monti Lessini, the volcanic uplands straddling the border of the Veneto provinces of Verona and Vicenza. For generations it was a rustic local grape, but its naturally high acidity made it a natural candidate for the sparkling wines that have secured its modern reputation.

A grape born for bubbles What once seemed a liability, Durella’s razor-sharp acidity, is precisely what makes it so well suited to sparkling wine. The grape is the heart of the Lessini Durello appellation, produced both by the tank method and, increasingly, by the traditional bottle-fermented method that gives the finest results. In an age that prizes freshness and mineral tension, Durella has emerged as a distinctive Italian answer to the world’s great sparkling wines.

Appearance and structure The wines are pale straw yellow, often with green reflections that signal their vivid freshness. Durella is light to medium-bodied and built around a piercing spine of acidity that gives it remarkable drive and length. In sparkling form the high acidity carries a fine, persistent mousse, while the volcanic soils lend a stony, mineral backbone.

Aromatic profile Durella offers crisp aromas of green apple, lemon, grapefruit and unripe pear, framed by white flowers and a distinctive note of bitter almond. Traditional-method sparkling versions develop bready, yeasty and hazelnut nuances from extended lees ageing. Throughout runs a flinty, mineral character drawn from the volcanic terroir, giving the wines a savoury, saline complexity.

In the vineyard The variety thrives on the basaltic volcanic soils of the Lessini hills, which suit its late ripening and reinforce its mineral profile. Its thick skins give good resistance to disease, and its late harvest helps preserve the searing acidity that is its calling card. Cooler, higher sites are especially prized for the freshness and finesse they bring to the fruit.

In the cellar Most Durella is destined for sparkling wine, made either by the Charmat tank method for fresher, fruitier styles or by the traditional method for greater complexity and depth. The grape’s high acidity makes it an ideal base wine, holding its freshness through long lees ageing. A small amount of still wine is also produced, showcasing the grape’s raw, mineral intensity.

Key expressions

• Traditional-method Lessini Durello, complex and long-aged.
• Charmat-method sparkling wines, fresh and fruit-driven.
• Still versions highlighting the grape’s razor acidity.
• Extended lees-aged cuvées with bready, mineral depth.

The question of aging Durella’s exceptional acidity makes it one of Italy’s most ageworthy sparkling bases, and the finest traditional-method wines can develop for a decade or more. Over time they gain toasty, honeyed and nutty complexity while retaining their electric freshness. Even still versions can hold well, their acidity acting as a natural preservative that keeps the wine vibrant for years.

At the table The grape’s high acidity and mineral drive make it a superb partner for food, cutting through fried dishes, salty snacks and rich, fatty fare with ease. Sparkling versions are excellent aperitifs and flatter seafood, cured meats and fresh cheeses. Its cleansing freshness makes it a versatile companion throughout a meal. Serve it thoroughly chilled.

Why it matters Durella proves that a grape once dismissed as harshly acidic can, in the right hands, become a source of thrilling, world-class sparkling wine. Its volcanic origins and electric freshness give it a distinctive voice among Italy’s fizz, one increasingly sought out by connoisseurs. For drinkers who prize energy, minerality and tension, Durella is a bracing and rewarding discovery.