Friuli, Italy
Another friendship that goes back two decades. Flavio and Silvana have been making natural wines in the early 80’s before ‘natural wine’ was a category. In fact they were often ostracized by their colleagues and friends for not using all the technology being introduced into the region in the late 80’s and early 90’s. They are iconic for their region of Friuli and known by all young and old farmers as THE point of reference for Prepotto and beyond. The estate has remained the same size for decades in order for Flavio to remain in complete control of the vineyards and cellar. They are a family of three with their talented daughter Cora, and bring in help ONLY during harvest and pruning. Otherwise a family affair…
Le Due Terre is a point of reference for me for all wines I taste. I’ll often think; could I put this estate in a line up with Le Due Terre? If the answer is yes, they often are added to the portfolio… if I think, no – then it’s a no go. They set the bar for a standard in vineyard work and cellar work with their consistency and dedication to their art, tradition and level of quality.
It is our ‘special occasion’ wine at home, and Sacrisassi Bianco is one of my all time go to’s. The wines need time to open, to breath, and time to reveal themselves so I always recommend to pop, and if you can manage to not finish the bottle, keep re-visiting the day after. I also prefer their wines on a ‘flower’ day in general if you can manage to check out Maria Thun’s calendar. Le Due Terre for us are the epitome of the phrase, ‘wine family.’
Flavio Basilicata and Silvana Forte, united by their feelings and great passion for wine, began their adventure in the Eighties and do it right away with the right pace and with that rigor that will always accompany their work: they have nothing, so they first plant the vines and, after four years, the house is built, which is also the cellar. Since then this is their dimension, their creature. The air you breathe in Le Due Terre is of great harmony and peace; everything flows quietly, despite the ferment of ideas and thoughts of the two skilled owners. The vineyard area, 4 hectares of land, has never increased, and this guarantees Flavio the possibility of personally taking care of the vineyard in every phase. Although there are few hectares of vines, the land has two different compositions: red earth on one side, marl on the other, and this explains the choice of the company name. The kind of viticulture practiced is essential, without the use of fertilizers, herbicides, antibacterial agents and pesticides: in short, a real organic cultivation. Flavio and Silvana also practice this “non-interventionism” in the cellar: spontaneous fermentation without the addition of yeasts and sulfur, no clarification, a light filtration in the bottle. Each phase is characterized by an obsessive attention, both in the vineyard and in the cellar: all this, plus a boundless love for their land, have allowed Le Due Terre to carve out a leading role in the Friuli wine scene.
