Skerk Ograde IGP: VeneziaGiulia Bianco (25% Vitovska/Malvasia/Sauvignon/PinotGrigio; 13.5%; L1;
Skin macerated for 2 weeks; Left to mature on lees for 18 mo. in wooden barrels) Prepotto/Trieste 2011: Deep golden/burnished bronze color; lightly phenolic/resiny quite honeyed/orangey bit earthy/smokey/fragrant slight muscatty/Malvasia/flowery quite complex nose; lightly tart rather tangy/metallic lightly phenolic/skin-contact/resiny rich/lush orangey/honeyed/orange peel quite smooth bit flowery/mango/malvasia quite complex beautiful flavor w/ no tannic bite anymore; very long/lingering very light phenolic/skin-contact very smooth/rich/lush rather orangey/honeyed bit malvasia/flowery/mango rather delicate/elegant/gentle beautiful complex finish; ver little phenolic/skin-contact character left and turned into a beautiful/balanced white w/ no oxidative character whatsoever. $38.00
\
A wee BloodyPulpit:
Given two weeks of skin-contact, I was expecting much more phenolic character. I got this wine over a yr ago from K&L when OliverMcCrum had the latest release a yr ago in the Fall. I wanted to try this afore I jumped on the '13 Ograde, which is now available. This is what many would call an “orange” wine, especially given the color. It is not an “orange” wine in that it has no oxidative character…it is simply a skin-contact white made in a reductive manner…color be damned.
This is what I said when I first tried it a yr ago:
It seems to be losing some of the edgy character and really turning into a beautiful wine. The '13 is currently available at VintageBerkeley on CollegeAve, who are big fans of SandiSkerk’s wines. Oliver relates they Skerk wines are a tough sell…which puzzles me. They are, across the board, exceptional wines.
Tom
Hi Tom
The tough sell must come from elements such as resiny, cidery, spicy hops, metallic lightly phenolic.
The hardest sell surely being those already interested in wine, for which such flavours/aromas are not what they are accustomed to find. For those new to wine, the existing rules haven’t been explained, and for those embracing the more esoteric natural / orange wines, the old rules are happily dispensed with.
I must admit to being quite tentative in this space, interested enough myself, but knowing what I drink is shared with at least one other person and sometimes more. In the short term at least, such wines are likely to be occasional bottles. The brains of the operation is certainly very certain in what she likes and is often very reluctant to venture into the weird and wonderful.
I think that Skerk’s wines have been slow to take off because people are hesitant about the whole category of ‘macerated whites’, and I understand that hesitation, in fact I share it. But Sandi’s wines are not hair shirts at all, just delicious, and they go with a great range of different foods. Great natural wines are much more difficult to make than conventional wines, Sandi pulls it off.
Shill alert: I import Sandi Skerk’s wines for my market.
I think these are somewhat unique and really fabulous wines, the Ograde being my favorite but the Vitovska a close second. I have tried them out on experienced tasters who don’t tend to prefer the “orange” wines and they are amazed. Good to see the 2011 is developing nicely.