Address
316 West Geer St, Suite A, Durham, NC 27701
Hours
Mon. Closed
Tue. - Thu. 11am - 9pm
Fri. & Sat. 11am - 10pm
Sun. 11am - 8pm
Downtown Durham's neighborhood bottle shop and wine bar offering curbside pickup, local delivery, and shipping to 43 states.
Free Delivery in Durham & Chapel Hill
with a $120 Minimum Order.
Raleigh, Cary, Hillsborough and Surrounding
zip codes minimum $200.
We cannot ship to ND, SD, NH, UT, MS, PA, or KY. email info@louelladurham.com for shipping options
Key fact: One person. Two fields. 3.5 hectares. Two wines (Chianti Classico and Riserva.) 32 years of labor and dedication.
Website: https://pruneto.it/en/en-home/
Instagram: @poderepruneto
Pruneto is a nice old farmhouse on top of a hill surrounded by vineyards. Riccardo’s father bought it in the late 1960’s. Previously their family lived in Milan. “My father bought it because it was cheap, not destroyed but basically just a shell of a house.” He paid the equivalent of 3,200 euros for the house, vineyards and olive groves.
“Only poor people lived here (at that time)” Lanza said. “The work was too hard. During the economic boom (after World War II) people moved to Poggibonsi, to towns near railways and autostrada.”
Riccardo Lanza was busy arranging a 40-year reunion party for his graduating class when I arrived. He went to university for agriculture. After graduation he worked in Lombardy, south of Milan. In 1980 Pruneto’s one farm worker retired, and Riccardo took over.
His father was attracted to Pruneto through friendship with seminal, legendary resident Sergio Manetti of Montevertine.
“Sergio was a little genius. He was also the right person at the right place. He invented something, pure Sangiovese.”
The view from Riccardo’s steep, winding driveway is exceptional, steep hills covered with vines. Across the valley is an impressive centuries-old estate that apparently used to be a monastery. Many farmhouses have been converted into vacation homes and villas. The clean air and bucolic setting may add to Riccardo’s propensity to philosophize.
“This is the history of Italy over the last 3,000 years. We think we are the best. It’s not true… but we copy the French.” Lanza and his father were inspired by Sergio Manetti’s courage to do something authentically Italian.
“It’s not easier to make a bad wine… OK maybe good wine is a little harder to make (but not much.)”
Riccardo has a son and a daughter, but they are not interested in making wine, at least at present. “It’s difficult for a young person to understand. I like to live in the country. I prefer to work in the country, not in the cellar. I have wonderfully positioned vineyards.”
The estate is tiny, 3.5 hectares divided into just two vineyards, surrounded by forest. The older site is west-facing and was planted in 1972. Lanza says he never has to worry about sunburned grapes from this field. His other parcel was planted in 1999, and is surrounded on all sides by forest. Lanza describes with wonder the experience of walking through the forest to this hidden vineyard. All his vines grow at a temperate 550 meters above sea level.
In the cellar Lanza uses large barrels and simple equipment to make his wines. He has used the same press for 31 years. The cellar is clean, but not high-tech. “It’s difficult to find the right machine for me. I am low-tech.”
“The wine-making world is all about power. Which is why I prefer to grow grapes, or potatoes, or tomatoes.”
Riccardo Lanza makes Chianti Classico that lives up to its prestigious designation. His work defines and frames a real view of Radda. Tasting real Sangiovese likes Pruneto’s emphasizes how this grape is still underrated and under-appreciated, even in Italy. Sangiovese can make the best red wine, and is the flavor of Tuscany.
LouElla is Downtown Durham's neighborhood bottle shop, bar, and event space offering curated wine, craft beer, and fortified selections from family operated producers. The business takes its name and mission from owner and proprietor Campbell Davis's Great Aunt LouElla who was much beloved for her warmth, hospitality, and generous spirit. Whether we are serving you at the bar or helping you pick that perfect bottle to host your celebration, our mission is to share LouElla's hospitality with the community.
Campbell Davis
Owner & Manager
For Cam Davis, LouElla is the culmination of more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality and beverage industry. Cam has successfully managed some of Durham’s finest locally and nationally recognized establishments, including Hutchin's Garage, Guglhupf, Rue Cler, and Durham Catering Company. He brings a wealth of wine and beverage knowledge, not only from his extensive restaurant experience, but also from his tenure as Durham Sales Manager for wine distributor Bordeaux, Fine and Rare.
Hours
Mon. Closed
Tue. - Thu. 11am - 9pm
Fri. & Sat. 11am - 10pm
Sun. 11am - 8pm