Slovenia Wine Stars and Hidden Treasures Organized by Vinitaly in cooperation with Vino magazine, Slovenia Tasting Ex…Press • Vinitaly • Verona • 10 april 2017 Robert Gorjak Vino is a Slovenian magazine Robert Gorjak grew up in a winegrowing family for the lovers of wine, culinary arts near Jeruzalem in Slovenia. His passion for wine and other delights. blossomed in the early 80s when he had the It is the most well-established opportunity of observing professional sommeliers and influential medium in the field of wine at work and joining them during tastings. His first and cuisine in Slovenia. article on wine appeared in 1994. He is Slovenia’s contributor for the Jancis Robinson’s Oxford Wine Publishing: Companion and The World Atlas of Wine (Hugh 4 issues per year Johnson, Jancis Robinson). He also contributed to several editions of Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine First published: Book. 2003 In 2001, he set up the first Slovenian wine school Publisher: alongside his wife Sandra – the Belvin Wine School, Revija Vino, d. o. o. where he teaches and develops new programs and Dobravlje 9 runs WSET courses. SI-5263 Dobravlje Slovenia He is the first Slovenian to hold a WSET Diploma and is the author of five editions of Wine Guide – phone: 00 386 82 051 612 Slovenia, where he has been rating Slovenian mobile: 00 386 51 382 381 wines. He judges at a variety of renowned [email protected] international wine tastings including Decanter www.revija-vino.si World Wine Awards, where he was the Chairman of the Slovenian panel. In 2012 he ventured into trade as well, working at Mercator, Slovenia’s biggest retailer as the category manager for Wines and Spirits, and now acting as an agent for half a dozen of top wineries from Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia. He is the co-owner of JR Wines, a Hong-Kong based company that places wines on Asian markets. His other activities relating to wine include education, trade consultancy, event management, occasional writing and top-end tour guiding. Slovenia Registered vineyard area 15,700 ha Total vineyard area 21,000 ha Grape growers 30,000 Registered bottlers 2,529 Annual production 70 mio l White vs. red 70:30 Most planted varieties Welschriesling, Refosco, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc Slovenia is an old, traditional wine-producing the Alps, the Pannonian Plain and the Dinarides. country where wine had already been made by Therefore, the land is mainly hilly and mountainous. the Celts around 3rd to 4th century BC, and later Most of the vineyards are on the slopes, with only developed further by the Romans. International some 10% on the flatlands. The climate in Slovenia varieties, such as Pinot Noir, Riesling, Pinot Gris, is generally a mixture of the Alpine climate with Chardonnay… were first introduced in 1822. Slovenia mild, humid summers and cold but not chilling is the country with the oldest officially recorded vine winters, which then bumps into the Pannonian Plain on the planet. The ancient vine grows in Maribor and with its hot, dry summers and severe winters. Each is proven to be more than 400 years old. climate thus spices up the other. In the eye of the geographer, Slovenia is a very Slovenia is officially divided into three winegrowing attractive and versatile country. It lies on the border regions and nine winegrowing districts according of four big geographical units: the Adriatic Sea, to climate, soils, wine styles, tradition… Hungary Austria Slovenia Italy Croatia Podravje region, named by the river Drava, lies in the northeast and includes the Štajerska Slovenija and the Prekmurje districts. Posavje region, named by the river Sava, lies in the southeast and includes the Bizeljsko-Sremič, the Bela Krajina and the Dolenjska districts. Primorska region (littoral region) lies to the southwest and encompasses the Goriška brda or Brda, the Vipava Valley, the Kras and the Slovenska Istra districts. Districts are further divided into sub-districts all the way down to villages and vineyard sites. These names, especially the name of the vineyard site, can also be found on the label. Gross Colles Sauvignon Blanc 2013 District Štajerska Slovenija Elevation 300–350 m Vines/ha 2,200–3,300 Soil Marl Harvest End of september / hand-picked Vinification Fermentation with natural yeast in large oak barrels. Stays on yeast for 18 months. Another 6 months in the tank, bottled without filtration. Alcohol 12.0% abv Residual sugar 2.6 g/l Acidity 6.3 g/l pH 3.08 Bottles 4,700 Stopper Screw cap Web www.gross.at/stajerska-slovenja Notes Photo: www.bottleshooters.eu www.revija-vino.si Verus Sauvignon Blanc 2016 District Štajerska Slovenija Elevation 280–310 m Vines/ha 3,500 Soil Sandy clay Harvest Middle of September / hand-picked Vinification Stainless steel, fermentation temperature 15-20 °C. Stays on the lees for 3 months. Alcohol 13.0% abv Residual sugar 4.0 g/l Acidity 7.0 g/l pH 3.27 Bottles - Stopper Screw cap Web www.verusvino.com Notes Photo: www.bottleshooters.eu www.revija-vino.si Marjan Simčič Opoka Sauvignon Blanc 2013 District Brda Elevation 200–250 m Vines/ha 4,000 Soil Marl Harvest End of September / hand-picked Vinification Fermentation in contact with skins (maceration) for 4 days in 4,000 litre conical oak barrels (tino); without selected yeasts. 23 months in 3,000 litre oak barrels. Alcohol 14.0% abv Residual sugar 1.2 g/l Acidity 5.4 g/l pH 3.35 Bottles 3.080 × 0.75 l, 90 × 1,5 l, 60 × 3 l Stopper Cork Web www.simcic.si Notes Photo: www.bottleshooters.eu www.revija-vino.si Bjana Brut Zero 2010 District Brda Elevation 150–250 m Vines/ha 4,000 Soil Marl Harvest Begining of August / hand-picked Vinification Base wine: cold fermentation 2/3 in stainless steel, 1/3 in used French barriques; secondary fermentation in the bottle then 48 months on the lees. Disgorged in the spring, 2015. Alcohol 12.0% abv Residual sugar 1.5 g/l Acidity 5.8 g/l pH 3.2 Bottles 3,000 Stopper Cork Web www.bjana.si Notes Photo: www.bottleshooters.eu www.revija-vino.si Puklavec Family Wines Seven Numbers Furmint 2015 District Štajerska Slovenija Elevation 310 m Vines/ha 2,800 Soil Clay with minor share of marl and sandstone Harvest Begining of October / hand-picked Vinification Fermentation at 16-18 °C. Starts in stainless steel vats, then after 1/3 of the fermentation process racked into wooden barrels (1,000 l) where 28-days-long fermenting concludes. Aged on fine lees for 8 months. Barrel-aged in slightly toasted French oak. Alcohol 13.5% abv Residual sugar 4.6 g/l Acidity 7.26 g/l pH 3.27 Bottles 8,000 Stopper Cork Web www.puklavecfamilywines.com Notes Photo: www.bottleshooters.eu www.revija-vino.si Edi Simčič Malvasia 2014 District Brda Elevation 150 m Vines/ha 6,500 Soil Marl Harvest End of September / hand-picked Vinification Spontaneous fermentation in barrels, 50% in 225 l and 50% in 500 l; 20% new barrels, the rest up to 4 years old. Alcohol 12.5% abv Residual sugar 1.5 g/l Acidity 5.0 g/l pH 3.52 Bottles 1,800 Stopper Cork Web www.edisimcic.si Notes Photo: www.bottleshooters.eu www.revija-vino.si Klet Brda Bagueri Ribolla Gialla 2013 District Brda Elevation 150–300 m Vines/ha 4,000 Soil Marl Harvest Begining of October / hand-picked Vinification 8 hours of maceration, fermented in large 4,000 lit barrels, barrel-aged for 30 months. Complete malolactic fermentation, Alcohol 14.0% abv Residual sugar 3 g/l Acidity 5.5g/l pH 3.3 Bottles 3,000 Stopper Cork Web www.klet-brda.si Notes Photo: www.bottleshooters.eu www.revija-vino.si Movia Lunar, 8. moons, Ribolla Gialla & Chardonnay 2013 District Brda Elevation 160 m Vines/ha 6,000 Soil Marl Harvest Beginning of October / hand-picked Vinification Manually destemmed grapes are put in barriques with a modified bunghole. Fermentation begins in the berries which gradually burst, spilling the new wine. After 8 months the wine is racked at full moon, the sediment removed, then bottled without filtration or added sulfur. Alcohol 12.0% abv Residual sugar - Acidity - pH - Bottles 4,000 × 1.0 l Stopper Cork Web www.movia.si Notes Photo: www.bottleshooters.eu www.revija-vino.si Dveri-Pax Pinot Noir 2011 District Štajerska Slovenija Elevation - Vines/ha 5,000 Soil Marl Harvest Hand-picked Vinification 2 weeks of maceration, 24 months of aging in new and used French barriques. Unfiltered. Alcohol 13.5% abv Residual sugar 2.20 g/l Acidity 4.80 g/l pH - Bottles 9,350 Stopper Cork Web www.dveri-pax.com Notes Photo: www.bottleshooters.eu www.revija-vino.si Burja Reddo 2015 District Vipavska dolina Elevation 160–220 m Vines/ha 7,000 Soil Flysch Harvest Hand-picked Vinification 3 weeks of maceration, aged two years in large barrels (1,000 and 1,500 l), spontaneous fermentation. Alcohol 13.5% abv Residual sugar 1.0 g/l Acidity 6.5 g/l pH 3.6 Bottles 3,000 Stopper Cork Web www.burjaestate.com Notes Photo: www.bottleshooters.eu www.revija-vino.si Santomas Antonius Refosco 2007 District Slovenska Istra Elevation 200 m Vines/ha 4,000 Soil Light sandy-flysch on a rich marl-slate foundation Harvest October 2007 / hand-picked Vinification Fermentation between 25 and 28 °C. Extended maceration for 30 days. Malolactic fermentation and 24 months of aging in new French barriques. Alcohol 14.0% abv Residual sugar 1.8 g/l Acidity 6.2 g/l pH 3.56 Bottles 5,000 × 0.75 l Stopper Cork Web www.santomas.si Notes Photo: www.bottleshooters.eu www.revija-vino.si Reia Khmer 2009 District Brda Elevation 120–140 m Vines/ha 2,600–2,800 Soil Flysch, marl Harvest End of September 2009 / hand-picked Vinification Spontaneous fermentation and malolactic fermentation, aged in used barriques, délestage.