A Day of Wine Tasting in Slovenia

I’m a member of the Dutch affiliation of wine connoisseurs (Verenigde Vinologen Nederland). As a member of the journey committee of the VVN, I manage wine journeys to Italy along with Fred Nijhuis. That is the third day of our tour of Friuli. Click on right here for my account of our first day and right here for the second day.

This third day we’re visiting Brda in Slovenia. Traditionally, Collio and Brda are one wine area. Brda is the Slovenian phrase for Collio (hills) and the grape varieties are additionally the identical. Rebula = Ribolla Gialla, Karst Teran = Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, Malvazija = Malvasia Istraiana, and Pokalca/Crna Rebula = Schioppettino. The Italian Gambero Rosso has even handed out 4 tre bicchieri awards to Slovenian wines from Brda. Brda has the identical terroir as Collio, however it’s referred to as opoka right here as an alternative of ponca. Brda is a little more hilly than Collio, with steeper hills and better altitude (as much as 800 metres (2600 ft) above sea-level). Brda has 1900 ha of vineyards (4700 acres), and about 28% of the workforce is lively within the wine business. Identical to Collio, the local weather is dictated by the placement between the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea, and the related wind referred to as Bora.

Marjan Simčič

We begin our tour of Brda at Marjan Simčič, most likely essentially the most well-known family-owned vineyard in Brda. We had been proven round by Valerija Simčič and Miha Ritonja, the wine maker. The vineyards are at an altitude of 120-270 meters (400-900 ft) above sea-level, half in Italy and half in Slovenia. They produce 120,000 bottles per 12 months from 25 ha (60 acres) of vineyards, of which 15 ha in Slovenia. Due to the historic precedent, the wine is allowed to be referred to as Slovenian although a number of the grapes are grown simply throughout the border in Italy. The winery with outdated vines of Friulano is 97 years outdated. Friulano known as Sauvignon Vert (the French identify) in Brda, as it’s not allowed to be referred to as Friulano as that identify is reserved for the Italian wine of that grape. Simcic have their Sauvignon Vert and Pinot Grigio within the Italian half, the opposite varieties in Slovenia. Simcic had a troublesome time throughout the Yugoslavian regime, as a household enterprise aiming at high quality as an alternative of amount didn’t match into the mannequin of cooperatives which have to provide as a lot as potential. Valerija shared an anecdote that it was solely potential to import a wine bottling machine from Italy by itemizing it as a milk bottling machine within the paperwork. From 2006 Simcic began to provide ‘cru’ wines from single vineyards on opoka soil.

Wine maker Miha confirmed us across the cellar. He instructed us that each one the grapes are hand picked and that minimal intervention is used for wine making. Because the vineyards are all inside 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the cellar, they use a small trailer to move the grapes to the cellar with out damaging them. After the primary choice within the winery, a second choice is completed within the cellar with an computerized destemmer and berry selector. They sometimes produce just one kilo (2.2 lbs) of grapes per vine. The 25 hectares are divided into 47 particular person vineyards, which all require particular person remedy. The 5 greatest plots with opoka soil are used for the highest wines. On the prime of the hills the soil is skinny, so the vines must work more durable. This results in small yields and thus prime quality. Simcic has been shortening the pores and skin contact (which is widespread in Brda) to keep away from an excessive amount of tannin within the wines. They use spontaneous fermentation, however with temperature management.

The egg-shape of the barrels causes a pure motion, such that no battonage (stirring) is required. You principally see concrete eggs, however there are additionally clay, terracotta, concrete, metal, and wooden.

We tasted these wines at Marjan Simcic, all of a really pure and clear model:

• Sauvignon Vert Brda Basic 2024 (youthful vineyards, flat, clay soils, made in chrome steel): mineral, elegant, sage.
• Sauvignon Vert Opoka Ronc Zegla Cru 2021 (oldest winery within the area, 2 years in barrel): mineral, elegant, focus, steadiness.
• Pinot Grigio Cru Choice 2023 (47 years outdated winery): copper colour, like a really elegant delicate rosé.
• Sauvignon Blanc Cru Choice 2023 (1 12 months oak): sage, steadiness, physique, not very fragrant for a SB.
• Sauvignon Blanc Opoka Jordano Cru 2023 (few hours pores and skin contact, 1 12 months oak, north-facing winery): sage, elegant, steadiness, contemporary.
• Sauvignon Blanc Opoka Jordano Cru 2019 (4 days pores and skin contact): developed, construction.
• Chardonnay Cru Choice 2023: crisp, steadiness.
• Chardonnay Opoka Jordano Cru 2022: buttery, construction, physique, steadiness, lengthy end.
• Pinot Noir Opoka Medana Breg Cru 2018 (east publicity, 2.5 years in barrel): ripe however current tannins, ripe cherries, elegant, steadiness.
• Merlot Opoka Trobno Cru 2019: tannins, elegant, earthy.

Klet Brda

Our subsequent go to was to Klet Brda, the cooperative vineyard of the area. It has 300 members and produces wine from 900 ha (2200 acres), half of your complete area. They produce 5 million litres of wine per 12 months at totally different ranges of high quality. The Klet Brda model is for grocery store wines. Above which are Quercus for fruity wines made in stainless stell, and Peneca glowing wines. The subsequent stage up is Krasno, aged in massive oak and metal barrels. Then on the prime is de Baguer, aged in barriques and named after De Baguer, a Catalonian depend who planted the primary post-phylloxera vines in Brda in 1881. 70% is white from Rebula, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Malvasia, and Sauvignon Vert (Friulano). 30% is purple from Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a rising quantity of Pinot noir. We had been acquired by Luka Ribolika, wine maker and son of the chief wine maker of Klet Brda (and with a final identify that sounds rather a lot like Rebula).

Through the tour of the cellar we noticed this particular manufacturing methodology for Rebula. They use pores and skin maceration for 1 week, after which on prime of that put 10-20% of entire berries contained in the barrel for carbonic maceration for 1 12 months. After that 12 months, the grapes come out utterly dried out.

We tasted a barrel pattern of this wine, during which you would clearly style the intensive pores and skin contact.

After the cellar tour it was time for tasting wines from Klet Brda, all with an impressive value to high quality ratio:

• De Baguer Virgo Zero Dosage (traditional methodology 36 months on the lees, Brut Nature, 70% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, 5% Rebula): contemporary, mineral, brioche, dry.
• Quercus Pinot Grigio 2024 (chrome steel, 6 months on the lees): very slight copper colour, comfortable, fruity, peach, contact of residual sugar (2.5 grams/liter).
• Krasno White 2023 (60% Chardonnay, 30% Rebula, 10% Sauvignon Vert, 6 months in chrome steel on the lees, aside from 30% of the Chardonnay in massive oak barrels): steadiness, spherical.
• Krasno Rebula 2022 (aged in massive oak barrels for two years, partial malo): construction, steadiness, mineral.
• Bagueri Piniot Grigio Ramato 2022 (48 hours pores and skin contact, aged 12 months, 20% in oak barriques with malo, 80% in chrome steel): construction, peach, steadiness.
• Bagueri Chardonnay 2020 (aged in barriques for 1 12 months of which 20% new with stirring of the lees): oak (wants some extra time within the bottle), construction, steadiness.
• De Baguer Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc 2019 (70% Chardonnay, 30% Sauvignon Blanc, aged 12 months, the Chardonnay in oak barriques (60% new) and the SB in chrome steel, each with stirring of the lees): fragrant, creamy, construction.
• A+ White 2018 (50% Rebula (massive oak), 40% Chardonnay (barrique), 10% Picolit (chrome steel)): golden, construction, advanced.
• Krasno Crimson 2022 (40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot): contemporary, elegant, tannins nonetheless astringent.
• De Baguer Crimson 2018 (70% Mertlo, 30% Cabernet Franc, 2 years in oak barriques (40% new), then after mixing 1 extra 12 months in massive oak): elegant, good tannins.
• A+ Crimson 2019 (50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc): tannin, contemporary, pencil.

After the tasting we had a pleasant lunch of native salumi and cheese, but in addition an area omelet with herbs referred to as frtalja.

Dwelling of Rebula

After lunch Luka offered us with a masterclass about Rebula from the Dwelling of Rebula consortium. Though Rebula/Ribolla Gialla can in fact even be discovered on the Italian aspect, it’s thought of to be the primary grape number of Brda (whereas for Friuli that’s the Friulano). Rebula is crucial grape selection in Brda, masking over 25% of winery space. It’s an indigenous grape selection resilient to local weather change. Historic proof of Rebula grapes dates again to Roman instances. There are three most important types of Rebula wines:

• Basic Rebula is contemporary and fruity (peach, apple, citrus), with vibrant acidity. It’s aged in chrome steel or massive oak barrels (6–18 months).
• Mature Rebula is advanced, elegant, with ripe flavors and minerality. It’s aged in oak or concrete tanks (18–36 months).
• Prolonged Pores and skin Contact Rebula (Orange Wines) have a wealthy construction, tannins, and intense aromas. They’re produced with an extended maceration, and aged as much as 10 years.

The vintages that we tasted throughout the masterclass may be characterised as follows:

• In 2024, excessive climate occasions comparable to spring frost, hail, and summer time drought led to a decrease yield however extra concentrated grapes.
• The 2023 classic skilled excessive temperatures and heavy rainfall, leading to vigorous vine progress and enormous grape clusters.
• 2022 was a dry and funky 12 months with secure temperatures, producing a small however extremely concentrated harvest.
• The 2021 harvest benefited from dry circumstances throughout ripening and enormous day-night temperature swings, yielding small berries and decrease volumes.
• 2020 had a heat local weather with well-distributed rainfall, supporting wholesome berry improvement and good focus.
• In 2019, heat circumstances and evenly spaced rainfall led to a barely diminished yield, about 10% beneath common.
• 2018 was a heat 12 months with adequate rainfall, leading to a notably plentiful harvest—30% above the common.

Basic Rebula:

• Klet Brda Rebula Quercus 2024 (hand-harvested from sustainable vineyards and cool-fermented in chrome steel tanks with out oak getting older): peach, crisp.
• Marjan Simčič Rebula Brda Basic 2024 (grapes are handpicked and vinified with a deal with freshness, utilizing chrome steel or massive oak casks): contemporary, mineral.
• Dolfo Rumena Rebula 2023 (produced from outdated vines on opoka soil with a dry model and minimal intervention): almond paste, contemporary, crisp.
• Medot Rebula Journey 2023 (48 hours of pores and skin contact, metal, 10% oak): construction, elegant notes of peach.

Mature Rebula:

• Ferdinand Rebula Epoca 2022 (hand-harvested from older vineyards and matured in oak or concrete tanks for 18–36 months, malo, half new barriques): salty, restrained aroma, barely creamy.
• Edi Simčič Rebula 2022 (fermented and aged for 11 months in French oak barriques): sulphur, salty end, creamy.
• Medot Rebula Golden Epoque 2022 (12 hours of pores and skin contact, 12 months barrique, 12 months massive barrels): advanced, construction and freshness, steadiness, restrained aroma.
• Zanut Rebula (2021) (cold-macerated on skins): earthy, contemporary.

• Ščurek Rebula Up 2020 (late harvest, partial pores and skin contact and aged in barrique with partial malo): golden, orange peel, oily, contact of residual sugar.
• Klet Brda Rebula Bagueri Superior 2020 (partially skin-fermented, half barrique, half chrome steel): oak, construction, advanced, salty end.
• Erzetič Orbis Rebula 2019 (24 hours chilly maceration, aged 12 months in 5 several types of wooden: oak, mulberry, wild cherry, ash, acacia): wooden, creamy, advanced, steadiness, construction, full-bodied, stunning.

I appreciated the Erzetič Orbis Rebula a lot that I used to be actually blissful that I met Andrej Erzetič after the masterclass and will purchase a case from him; he phoned his sister to carry a case to us.

Prolonged Pores and skin Contact Rebula:

• Ferdinand Rebula Brutus 2019 (destemmed berries are macerated for 12 months): astringent, cloudy, perceptible trace of acetic character within the aroma.
• Marjan Simčič Rebula Opoka Medana Jama Cru 2018 (produced from 68-year-old vines with 12-14 days maceration, aged 1 12 months in concrete eggs and 1 12 months in massive barrels): darkish golden, tannin, steadiness, restrained aroma, can age.

We ended our Brda wine expertise by assembly some native winemakers from Zanut, Erzetič, Ščurek, Dolfo, and Ferdinand.

We additionally had an off-the-cuff tasting of a few of their wines. In addition to Rebula there was additionally Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Vert, Verduzzo, Merlot, Schioppettino, and a few white blends.

Hiša Marica

For dinner we went to the picturesque medieval village of Šmartno, on the highest of a hill with a stupendous view.

There we had dinner at Hiša Marica.

For dinner we began with Hiša Marica’s well-known do-it-yourself prosciutto. Then we had spelt risotto with asparagus, datterino tomatoes, and pancetta. The principle course was a Black Angus steak with nona Marica’s mashed potatoes. We ended with a cherry strudel. Cherries had been in season, as we already seen from the stalls promoting cherries simply exterior the village. We had Klet Brda De Baguer wines with our dinner that we had already tasted earlier at this time at Klet Brda: Virgo Brut Nature, A+ White 2018, and A+ Crimson 2019.

This was a really good day and a pleasure to fulfill younger and gifted wine makers Miha Ritonja and Luka Ribolica, who studied enology collectively on the College of Ljubljana. I’m certain we are going to hear extra about them sooner or later as they take wine making in Brda to new heights.