The heritage
Durin's winery has distant origins. It all began at the end of 19th century when Isidoro Basso decided to start cultivating in a little plot of land in the Arroscia Valley, which is a territory rich in history, culture and beautiful natural landscapes. In fact, it is in the Ortovero municipality, where the Basso family is from, that Isidoro sowed the seed of what will become the future Durin winery, which actually takes the name from this impressive man who funnily enough is called “Isidurin” (little Isidoro) by everyone around town.
As it happens quite often around here, In Liguria but also elsewhere, the farmland is passed from father to son. In fact, Angelo, who was born in 1906, carried on the family’s farming legacy once he got back from the military service in the Twenties, planting the first vine trees. Over a very long lifetime – he died in 2004 – Angelo has been building up the family business and now, his son Antonio is following in his footsteps, becoming the third in the Basso wine-growers generation.
The winery today
Being Isidoro's nephew and Angelo's son, Antonio Basso decided to give up Medical school and to engage with heart and soul to agriculture, at the end of the Seventies. Antonio himself chose to give to the winery the name Durin, in loving memory of his grandfather. Meeting Laura, who represents the other half of Durin's heart for over twenty years, strengthened the resolve to stay true to the family's legacy.
Antonio and Laura met in 1998. He was 41 at the time and as has been mentioned, he was a vigneron. She was 26 and a teetotaller, not knowing much about wine at all. But despite the premises, they've been together ever since.
As of today, Durin is one of the most well-known Liguria wineries and 2018 is going to mark its 40th anniversary. Antonio and Laura will be joined in the celebration by their three children: Giovanni, who is 20, Giacomo, 17 and Angelica, 14, who will possibly become keepers of this leading Arroscia Valley family's heritage.
Old and new generations intertwine in this beautiful scenario, that smells like home and wine cellar and proudly always keeps a foot in the tradition and the other in the future. Starting with Antonio who values his origins as an epitome, but at the same time he aims to challenge the times to come working and experimenting every day by himself, both in the vineyard and in the cellar, without any oenologist help, but drawing on just from experience and most importantly from inherited knowledge. Being confident that wine is a family matter and that his past and his present are right there, in a glass of white or red tasted in good company.
