Browse Tag

slovenia

Oh Veliko…Veliko, Veliko

Movia 2004 “Veliko” (Brda) – A blend of ribolla gialla (or, I guess, rebula here in Slovenia), mostly, with chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and pinot noir as potential partners; the blend apparently varies, and I don’t know the specifics of this vintage. The mélange bring some light and shade to the heavier, waxier notions provided by the dominant grape. Lemon and molten silver, silken texture and fine-polished exterior wood, with everything in balance. I have no idea where this is on its evolutionary curve, but it’s drinking beautifully, if simply, right now. (9/10)

Nobody’s fault but mine

Kogl 2008 Sämling “Mea Culpa” (Podravje) – The least aromatic scheurebe I’ve ever tasted, which is far from suggesting that it’s not still dallying with the lurid. It’s just that it’s more an element of the whole than an overwhelming impression. Actually, this is pretty terrific (asterisk the previous with “for Pordravjean scheurebe” if “terrific” does not apply to this grape in your oenoverse), with some firmness, balance, and even a bit of quartzy minerality. (11/10)

Eclipse

Movia 2007 “Lunar” (Goriška Brda) – Like drinking electronica and eating Dadaism in a black light-lit funhouse. Absolutely, deliriously weird and yet utterly compelling. This is far from the most representative of the “orange wine” cohort, but its eccentricities are as appealing as they are legion. (6/10)

Eclipse

[vineyard]Movia 2007 Ribolla Gialla “Lunar” (Goriška Brda) – Delish. I know it probably wants to be serious, but really it’s more like a Greek island beach party…albeit from several hundred years ago. No tropical umbrellas here. Very appealing, and in an immediate way. (7/09)

Rebula alliance

Blažič 2006 Rebula (Goriška Brda) – Useless at first sniff, but with air grows fuller and waxier, showing a good measure of dry honey. However, oak masks whatever “fruit” this wine possesses, and the underlying grapes aren’t ripe enough to support this level of wood layering (though I don’t know that I’d like the result of the alternative much more). I’d like this particular wine a lot more without the wood, I’d wager. (10/07)

Bjana boat

Bjana 2002 Brut (Goriška Brda) – An intriguing blend of rebula (a/k/a ribolla gialla) and chardonnay. Alas that the wine does not live up to the intrigue (and in any case, I’d need some convincing that rebula is a good grape for sparkling wine production). Very lightly sweet with somewhat obvious fruit. Fizzy, pleasant, big, and unrefined. Not even really a brawler…more of an oaf. But a friendly one. (10/07)

St. Thomas

Santomas 2002 Refošk “Antonius” (Sergaše) – The grape, in case it isn’t obvious, is known as refosco back in Italy. Buttery, and a touch stewed as well. Rough red fruit (cherry, strawberry) and some hewn-then-charred wood, though the wine’s overall demeanor is not particularly wood-dominated or wood-influenced. Easy drinking, for sure, but it lacks polish and, more importantly, the full realization of its potential. (10/07)

Slo food

[ljubljana sculpture]Where are we? Judging by the featureless beige on our GPS’ screen, the answer is “nowhere.” The road we’re on doesn’t exist. Yet it quite obviously does, and we’re on it, and it doesn’t look so new that our allegedly Europe-covering maps wouldn’t include it. This wouldn’t be so bad, except that we now have no idea if we’re headed to Ljubljana or…oh, I dunno, Salzburg. The tension in the car rises a bit.

So much for Italians and their “shortcuts.”

…continued here.

Četrtič the entertainer

[label]Četrtič “Ferdinand” 2003 Rdeče (Brda) – Merlot & cabernet sauvignon. There’s nothing that really distinguishes this wine from its similarly-cépaged brethren from pretty much everywhere else in the world. That caveat aside, it’s quite good, with all the dark fruit (cassis, blueberry and blackberry), leather, tobacco, and firm but ripe tannin one could hope for. The acidity is perhaps a little higher than is the norm in these softening days, but that’s to the wine’s benefit. Nicely crafted, likely quite ageable, and in no way overdone. (9/07)