“What once was hurt
What once was friction
What left a mark
No longer stings
Because grace makes beauty
Out of ugly things” – Grace, U2
Over the northern border of Italy, Ivi and Edvard Svetlik own a 1.2 hectare vineyard in the Slovenian Vipava Valley planted solely to the Rebula variety, otherwise known as Ribolla Gialla. If you’ve heard of the grape it’s likely through the wines of Gravner. If you haven’t, I doubt you’re alone. Jancis Robinson’s “Wine Grapes” guide refers to it as “a very old variety from Fruili-Venezia Giulia”. A word on the name of the wine in question; Slovenia has four wine designations ranging from namizno vino (table wine) through to vrhunsko vino ZGP (premium quality wine). Kakovostno vino ZGP is the second highest tier, designating quality wine from a single district.
Slovenian madness or brilliance – this will polarise drinkers. There are some floral whispers but it is, at heart, a bitter wine. Almond skins, coffee grounds, smoke, cardamom, chicory and citrus. There’s some almond milk midpalate body and rather aggressive, raspy skin contact phenolics. Wild and beardy with persistence, detail (even if I’ve failed to capture it adequately) and vivacity. I like it but I poured a glass for a friend and she took one sip and shook her head. I’m unsure if she’ll visit again. 92 Very Good
Region: Slovenia, Vipava Valley
Alcohol: 13.0%
Closure: Cork
Price: $66
Tasted: March 2013
I’m rather taken with the idea of beardy wines, but not in the sense of them being poured by hirsute hipsters.
I’m going to launch a new wine magazine soon actually. It will be called “Wild and Beardy” and will target hirsute hipsters
Well its a growing market… Let me know if you need a hand finding someone to pose for the centrefold