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2019 Vinarija Škegro Žilavka Krš Bijeli - Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hercegovina, Mostar (20.6.2021)
100% Žilavka aged in stainless steel. “Krš” means karst and the wine is named as such due to the soil in which the vineyards are planted. 13% alcohol.
Pale, quite neutral lime-green color. Sweet, somewhat tropical and quite primary nose with aromas of mango, pear drops, some floral notes, a little bit of banana, light sappy notes of chopped green herbs and a zesty hint of key lime. The wine is ripe, quite mellow and slightly oily on the palate with a light-to-medium body and somewhat simple flavors of gooseberries, some tropical notes of passion fruit and plantain, light candied primary notes of pear drops and sour apple candies, a hint of green herbs and herbal bitterness and an almost Muscat-like touch of floral spice. The somewhat modest medium acidity keeps the wine somewhat together, but doesn’t really lend much to the freshness and structure. The finish is fruity, somewhat simple and medium in length with straightforward flavors of ripe apples, some primary pear notes, a little bit of passion fruit and slightly grassy hints of green herbs.
A nice, simple and enjoyably fruity little everyday white. Feels a bit primary, but that isn’t a big surprise - the wine is still so young. The biggest setback is the somewhat modest acidity; this could’ve shown good promise, if it had shown a bit more freshness and precision. This is a pleasant little Hercegovinan white, I doubt this will ever become particularly interesting even when it drops its somewhat candied primary fruit character. Nevertheless, at 7€ this wine delivers good quality for the price. (85 pts.)
Pale, quite neutral lime-green color; appearance-wise, this is virtually identical to the 2019 Žilavka Krš Bijeli that was tasted alongside. The nose feels fragrant, cool and somewhat oak-driven with aromas of creamy wood, passion fruit, some primary notes of sour apple candies and pear drops, a little bit of salty liquorice powder, light notes of toasty oak spice, a hint of pineapple and a touch of butter. The wine is lively, quite youthful and medium-bodied on the palate with ripe and rather oak-driven flavors of creamy oak and bitter, some pineapple, light sweet notes of apple sauce, a little bit of salty liquorice, tropical hints of passion fruit and pear and a sappy touch of herbal spice. The moderately high acidity keeps the wine in balance and the ripeness quite well in check. The finish is juicy, moderately tropical and quite long with flavors of banana, some sweet oak spice, light creamy notes, a little bit of pineapple, a hint of buttery oak and a touch of herbal bitterness that slowly grows up towards the end of the aftertaste.
A tasty and balanced Žilavka that shows a lot more depth and sense of structure than the entry-level Žilavka Krš Bijeli. However, the oak influence seems quite liberal here, and whilst the fruit flavors show enough intensity to punch through all the wood, the wine feels still too oaky for my taste. Nevertheless, I can imagine the wine has still lots to offer, since it is obviously all too young (and still somewhat primary) to show its best now. Seeing how the combination of bright, ripe fruit character and good acidity promise lots of aging potential, I really hope the oak tones would integrate better with the fruit if given enough time. This is still a sub-90 wine for now, but has solid potential to grow into a plus-90 wine if it continues to develop into the right direction. Solid value at 12€. (88 pts.)
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2017 Vinarija Škegro Žilavka Krš Orange - Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hercegovina, Mostar (20.6.2021)
One of the very few orange wines made in Bosnia-Herzegovina. 100% Žilavka, fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins for 20 days, only free-run wine is used (the skins aren’t pressed), vinified without any SO2, bottled unfiltered. Total production 997 bottles. 12,5% alcohol.
Quite pale but also moderately hazy amber color. Funky, savory and slightly weird nose with aromas of phenolic resinous character, some earth, a little bit of cooked rutabaga, light acetic notes of VA and a hint of barnyard. The bretty and volatile elements seem to grow in intensity as the wine opens up. The wine feels dry and slightly oily-viscous on the palate with a medium body and savory flavors of phenolic resinous character, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of nuttiness, light earthy notes, a little bit of acetic VA, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of orange rind. The wine is high in acidity, whereas the tannins don’t really bring any noticeable grip to the wine, but instead lend a somewhat understated streak of bitterness that grows in intensity towards the aftertaste. The finish is dry, quite acid-driven and slightly unclean with flavors of rosin, phenolic bitterness, some earth, a little bit of acetic VA, light bruised apple tones and a hint of farmyard funk.
I’ve read somewhere that this is supposed to be a very clean, vibrant and well-made orange wine, but at least my experience didn’t corroborate those views. Instead this was somewhat weird, quite funky and lacking in fruit and vibrancy, instead suffering from somewhat elevated levels of VA, lending a subtly vinegary overtone to the taste. I wonder if this wine just wasn’t built to last such a long haul to the Nordics and would’ve fared better if it were vinified with a smallest addition of SO2? I’d say yes, but who knows. Nevertheless, I wasn’t particularly impressed. Feels a bit pricey for the quality at 17€. (82 pts.)
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2018 Kosovec Estate Winery Škrlet - Croatia, Croatian Uplands, Moslavina, Voloder – Ivanić Grad (20.6.2021)
A 100% Škrlet vinified with natural yeasts in steel tanks with the lees. Bottled unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol.
Rather pale straw-yellow color. Characterful, spicy and slightly waxy nose that starts off with a little bit of flatulent reduction that fortunately blows off quite quickly. Aromas of slivered almonds, some dried herbs, a little bit of smoky reduction, light notes of ripe yellow fruits and a hint of leesy yeast. The wine is dry, balanced and quite neutral on the palate with a medium body and clean, fresh flavors of stony minerality, some waxy tones, a little bit of fresh red apple, light herbal notes, a hint of mineral water and a touch of leesy yeast. The overall impression is neutral but not dilute, coming across as something not unlike a Croatian Muscadet. Balanced, quite high acidity. The finish is fresh and somewhat neutral with moderately long flavors of red apple, some stony minerality, a little bit of fresh white peach, light crunchy notes of white currant and a hint of mineral water.
A somewhat neutral and slightly underwhelming but also enjoyably fresh, balanced and mineral little white. Nothing too challenging or particularly memorable, but nothing to complain about either. All in all, a nice, bright and palate-cleansing little everyday white. Priced according to its quality at 11€. (88 pts.)
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2018 Krauthaker Zelenac - Croatia, Slavonia & Danube, Slavonija, Kutjevo (20.6.2021)
To my understanding, Zelenac is a Croatian synonym for Rotgipfler (and not for the almost-similarly named Slovenian variety Zelen). 12,5% alcohol.
Intense lime-green color with a deeper, lemon-yellow core. Fragrant and quite honeyed nose that reminds me of a developed Riesling; aromas of beeswax, some ripe apricots, light floral notes of white flowers, a little bit of ripe apple and a primary hint of sweet pear-driven fruit. The wine is somewhat oily and moderately full-bodied on the palate, yet showing good sense of firmness at the same time. Intense, clean flavors of beeswax, fresh apricots, some exotic spice, a little bit of stony minerality, light crunchy notes of tart red apples, a hint of ripe peach and a touch of pear-driven primary fruit. Good sense of bright acidity that keeps the full body from coming across as heavy. The finish is lively and fresh with ripe juicy flavors of ripe red apples, some primary notes of pear drops, a little bit of stony minerality, light sweet nuances of apricots and a floral hint of almost Muscat-like exotic flowers.
A balanced, tasty and characterful white that shows quite a bit of ripeness and intensity, yet still comes across as very fresh and precise. The overall feel is still a bit too youthful for my preference, as the wine shows a bit of candied, pear-like primary fruit, but the overall impression was nevertheless thoroughly enjoyable, thanks to the balanced acidity and depth of fruit. Aromatically the wine was interesting, as it smelled remarkably similar to a ripe Riesling - and who doesn’t love how a good Riesling smells like? - but on the palate the wine was noticeably different with more fullness, body and even a slightly viscous hint of oiliness in the mouthfeel. Overall the wine shows good potential for future development and I can see the wine benefiting from at least a handful of years in a cellar. However, it drinks really well already now. Drink or keep. Terrific value at 12€. (92 pts.)
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2017 Sladić Maraština - Croatia, Dalmatia, Dalmatinska Zagora, Skradin (20.6.2021)
To my understanding, this wine is (according to the winery website) “Maraština Premium” - however, on the label the wine says just “Maraština”. 13,2% alcohol.
Deep, evolved golden yellow with a slightly coppery core. Waxy and slightly odd nose with aromas of beeswax, some bruised apple, a little bit of nuttiness, light honeyed notes, a grappa-like hint of fusel alcohol and a touch of woody spice. The wine is dry, waxy and somewhat thin on the palate with a medium body and somewhat underwhelming flavors of waxy funk, some stony minerality, a little bit of fresh red apple, light evolved notes of nuttiness, a hint of mineral water and a touch of savory wood spice. Moderately high in acidity. The finish is lively, rather acid-driven and somewhat thin with flavors of nutty oxidative notes, some stony mineral tones, a little bit of something waxy, light nuances of apple core and a hint of dried herbs.
A characterful and surprisingly evolved little white for its age. I wonder if the wine was made in a more oxidative style, or if this was a poor bottle? The overall impression was pretty underwhelming, but then again, that’s something I’ve grown to expect from Maraština. While the wine showed some nice, evolved complexity, I’d say the wine was still too thin and underwhelming for a wine that the producer website has labeled “Premium”. Feels very overpriced for the quality at 25€. (82 pts.)
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2010 Kalazić Cuvée Batina - Croatia, Croatian Uplands, Podunavlje, Baranja (20.6.2021)
A blend of organically farmed Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. Aged in Slavonian oak barriques. 14,5% alcohol.
Concentrated golden yellow color with a subtly greenish highlights. Beautifully fragrant and characterful nose with complex aromas of perfumed floral notes, pear compote, some honeyed richness, light rosewater notes, a little bit of beeswax, a hint of evolved nutty character and a touch of saffron. The wine is full-bodied, quite concentrated and rather oily on the palate with intense flavors of pear jam and honeycomb, some floral notes of rose petals and rosewater, light sappy notes of herbal spice, a little bit of stony minerality, a sweet hint of orange marmalade and a touch of saffron. The wine is obviously very ripe and the alcohol shows through a little, but the overall impression is nevertheless wonderfully balanced and the high acidity keeps the sweeter nuances and the fuller body wonderfully in check. The finish is rich, somewhat warm and rather oily with intense, lengthy flavors of saffron and other exotic spices, stony minerality, some beeswax, a little bit of sweet apple sauce and pear jam, light tart notes of lemony citrus fruits, a floral hint of rosewater and a touch of orange marmalade.
A surprisingly big, ripe and concentrated wine that should be pretty over-the-top by all accounts, yet it never manages to feel excessive despite its obvious ripeness and relatively high alcohol. The high acidity and relatively pronounced mineral nuances are surprisingly pronounced for such a big wine and simply vital to the balance of the wine. Although the wine shows some evolution, it is still relatively youthful for its age and I can see it improving for at least another handful of years, if not longer. A very positive surprise and simply outstanding value for the price at just 10€. (93 pts.)
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2012 Vista Hill White Reserve - Serbia, Vojvodina, Srem (20.6.2021)
100% Graševina from Fruška Gora in Serbia. Aged in oak, bottled in July 2013. Bottle #422 of total 2000 bottles. 14% alcohol.
Medium-deep yellow-green color. Sweetish and somewhat evolved nose with aromas of mealy yellow apples and ripe pear, some woolly lanolin, a little bit of evolved waxy character, light fresh notes of whitecurrants and a juicy hint of white peach. The nose is a bit dull and slightly lacking in freshness, yet is still pretty enjoyable and pleasantly aromatic. The wine feels clean, slightly oily and somewhat neutral on the palate with a full body and quite lively flavors of evolved waxy notes, some woolly tones, a little bit of juicy white peach, light rich honeyed notes suggestive of ripeness and a mineral hint of wet rocks. The high alcohol lends some warmth to the mouthfeel. The overall feel is slightly soft and lacking i precision, thanks to the modest medium acidity. The finish is fresh, juicy and somewhat evolved with moderately long flavors of ripe white peach, some damp wool notes, a little bit of sweet apple jam, light honeyed tones and a hint of developed waxy character. The high alcohol makes the wine end on a slightly warm note.
A tasty and juicy Graševina that suffers from the somewhat modest acidity and slightly neutral fruit, which are pretty typical of the variety. However, the wine is still surprisingly bold and substantial for a Welschriesling, coming across as pleasantly evolved - not just dull and tired - now at 9 years of age. All in all, nothing particularly memorable, but a pretty good effort all the same. (87 pts.)
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2008 Vino Budimir Riesling Margus Margi - Serbia, Zapadna Morava, Kruševac, Župa-Aleksandrovac (20.6.2021)
The name “Margus Margi” is Latin for Veliko Morava, the river that flows through the region where the vines grow. This is 100% “Rhine Riesling” aka. true Riesling. The label does not bear any indication of vintage, but according to the winery, this is vintage 2008, cold soaked with the skins before fermentation, fermented spontaneously and aged for 3½ years in old, 2000 to 5000-liter Serbian oak casks before bottling. Bottled unfiltered on September 6th, 2012. Aged in bottles for multiple years before release. 12% alcohol.
Slightly evolved lemon yellow color with subtly greenish highlights. Somewhat reticent but also wonderfully nuanced and fragrant nose with aromas of gingerbread dough and Christmas spices, candied ginger, some lemon marmalade, light caramel notes, a little bit of browned butter, light leesy notes of creaminess and a subtle hint of sweet oak spice. The wine is crisp, firm and wonderfully structured on the palate with a medium body and intense, clean flavors of ripe lemony citrus fruits, tangy Granny Smith apple, some creamy oak notes, a little bit of steely minerality, light mineral notes of salinity, a developed hint of woolly lanolin and a touch of mature caramel character. The noticeably high acidity lends great intensity and sense of structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, structured and wonderfully mouth-cleansing with intense, dry flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some tart Granny Smith apple notes, a little bit of tangy salinity, light steely mineral tones, oaky hints of creaminess and savory wood spice and an evolved touch of damp wool.
Wow, this was a positive surprise! I’m usually a bit skeptic when it comes to European Rieslings that come from any southern than Austria, but this managed to hit the mark with its wonderful combination of complexity, great acid structure, textbook mineral overtones and intensity. The wine is definitely different from what you’d bet from anywhere else, but at the same time it is undeniably very Riesling in its expression. Despite already 13 years old and showing some signs of evolution, the wine still comes across as pretty youthful and I could see it continuing to improve for many more years. A very distinctive, harmonious and very well-made effort. An excellent wine that can be either drunk now or cellared for years to come. A bargain at 20€. (93 pts.)
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2017 Kosovec Estate Winery Škrlet Selekcija - Croatia, Croatian Uplands, Moslavina, Voloder – Ivanić Grad (20.6.2021)
100% Škrlet made from selected grapes that have attained high enough ripeness, fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, 20% of the wine macerated with the skins for a week. Aged in stainless steel for 12 months (9 months on the lees), bottled unfiltered. 14% alcohol.
Slightly hazy golden yellow color with a subtly peachy-orange core. Fresh, fragrant and subtly sweetish nose with somewhat waxy aromas of apricots, Earl Grey-like notes of bergamot, some perfumed floral tones, a little bit of leathery funk, light nuances of sweet exotic spices and a hint of quince jelly. The wine is lively, firm and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of waxy funk, spicy red apple, some resinous and slightly bitter phenolic notes, a little bit of black tea, light leathery notes, a hint of steely minerality and a touch of clayey earth. The structure relies almost completely on the fresh, high acidity as the tannins are very light and lend only a little bit of firmness to the texture without any noticeable grip. The finish is dry, fresh and subtly grippy with flavors of waxy funk, steely minerality, some notes of beeswax, light perfumed and subtly bitter notes of long-steeped Earl Grey tea, a hint of stony minerality and a sweeter touch of wizened peaches.
A sophisticated, harmonious and pleasantly restrained Škrlet that is either a very fresh and light, white-wine-ish orange wine or a relatively substantial, extracted and savory white wine. Although the skin-macerated component is relatively small, it’s impact is quite big and the wine comes across as very amber wine-like, although still retaining the freshness and minerality from the white Škrlet portion. A balanced and well-made effort that combines the best parts of a skin-contact white and a white Škrlet. Still very youthful in style, I can see this wine benefiting from further aging, although it drinks really well already now. Priced according to its quality at 21€. (91 pts.)
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2017 Bikicki Uncensored - Serbia, Vojvodina, Srem (20.6.2021)
100% organically farmed Traminac Crveni, which is - to my understanding - the same thing as Roter Traminer aka. Savagnin Rosé. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, macerated with the skins for 7 days, aged for 9 months in 500-liter demi-muids. Bottle #1801 of total 1861 bottles. 12,5% alcohol, 1 g/l residual sugar, 4,8 g/l acidity.
Rather hazy and somewhat murky copper color. Very fragrant and perfumed nose with heady aromas of lychee and chinotto zest, some phenolic notes of rosin, light green notes of pine needles, a little bit of ripe peach, a sweet hint of cloves and a touch of creaminess. Lovely! The wine is juicy, rich and full-bodied on the palate with characterful flavors of citrus-scented soap, chinotto zest and bergamot, some lychee, light creamy notes of oak, a little bit of resinous phenolic character, sweet hints of exotic spices and fragrant flowers and a touch of pine needles. The acidity is a bit on the modest side and there are no tannins to speak of, but still the wine doesn’t feel like it is unbalanced or lacking in structure. The finish is dry and savory, yet still the illusion of sweetness seems to only grow towards the end of the aftertaste. Long, complex flavors of resinous phenolic character, beeswax, some soapy tones, a little bit of exotic spices, light fruity notes of lychee and apricot, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of rosewater.
A very tasty, balanced and complex orange wine with a characterful and noticeably heady overall character. The producer says the wine is made from Roter Traminer, but based on the very heady, floral and spicy notes and somewhat modest acidity I’m quite certain the wine is actually Gewürztraminer - the appearance of Roter Traminer is pretty identical to a Gewürztraminer, but it is a relatively neutral variety that is comparatively higher in acidity. Nevertheless, this is a pretty lovely effort - it isn’t squeaky clean nor particularly funky or weird. The varietal characteristics are very much to the fore and even though the wine is a bit on the softer side, it retains a good sense of balance and I can imagine the wine could actually continue to improve in a cellar for at least a handful of years. A terrific and very well-made effort that is very enjoyable on its own, but can be paired with any dish that calls for a dry, floral wine where the emphasis is on the fruit, not on the acidity. Probably the best Serbian wine I’ve tasted, great value at 24€. (94 pts.)
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2017 Jagunić Family Winery Traminac Crveni Amber Selection - Croatia, Croatian Uplands, Plešivica, Plešivica-Okić (20.6.2021)
Made with Traminac Crveni (Roter Traminer aka. Savagnin Rosé) grapes sourced from very old vineyards. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, macerated for several months with the skins. Bottled unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol.
Slightly hazy amber color with a pale coppery core. Savory, somewhat restrained and slightly funky nose with aromas of stony minerality, beeswax, some funky notes of leather, a little bit of ripe orange and candied orange rind, light notes of exotic spices, a lifted volatile hint of nail varnish and a touch of perfumed floral character that grows into a more pronounced streak of rosewater as the wine opens up in the glass. The wine is dry, firm and slightly funky on the palate with a moderately full body and quite intense flavors of roasted nuts, apple peel bitterness, some phenolic notes of rosin, light floral notes of musky, perfumed flowers, a little bit of beeswax, exotic hints of fragrant spices and candied orange rind and a volatile touch of nail varnish. The overall feel is quite structured and somewhat tightly-knit, thanks to the high acidity and very fine-grained, powdery and gentle tannins. The finish is savory, slightly lifted and subtly grippy with dry flavors of resinous phenolic character, some exotic spices, a little bit of orange rind, light notes of beeswax, a hint of bruised apple and a sweet touch of balsamic VA that has a subtle nail varnish edge to it.
A sophisticated, quite harmonious and surprisingly stern Croatian orange wine with a rather noticeable but not excessively sauvage air to it. The wine shows good intensity and complexity, yet it comes across as somewhat restrained - as if the wine is slightly closed at the moment. Seeing how the wine slowly seems to become more expressive and perfumed as it opens up, I can imagine this wine could age gracefully in a cellar. At least based on its intensity and quite structured overall feel, I feel the wine shows some serious aging potential. Although I’d prefer the wine to show a bit less VA, it is still thoroughly enjoyable. Good value at 25€. (90 pts.)
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2012 Movia Veliko Bianco (Belo) - Slovenia, Primorska, Goriška Brda (20.6.2021)
A blend of late-harvest Ribolla Gialla (70%), Sauvignon Blanc (20%) and Pinot Gris (10%) from vineyards averaging 40 yo. The vinification for the different varieties begins separately and they are fermented spontaneously in stainless steel tanks using a pied de cuve, but once all the varieties are harvested and fermentations are under way, the musts are blended together to finish the fermentation together. Once fermented dry, the wines are moved to French oak barriques for MLF. Aged on the lees in barriques for 3,5 years, no racking. The wine is vinified without any sulfites. In some vintages a tiny amount of older reserve wines is added to the final blend before bottling. The wine is bottled with a tiny amount (under 30 mg/l) of SO2. 13% alcohol.
Quite deep and concentrated but also surprisingly youthful yellow-green color. Ripe, quite fragrant and wonderfully characterful nose of ripe red apples and cloudberries, some white peach, light evolved waxy tones, a little bit of grassy timothy character, sweet hints of apple jam and wizened citrus fruits and a touch of woolly funk. The wine is clean, firm and lively on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and ripe yet surprisingly savory flavors of juicy citrus fruits, stony minerality, some red apple tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light savory notes of salt water and umami MSG, a hint of apple peel bitterness and a spicy touch of white pepper. The high acidity lends great freshness and sense of structure to the wine. The finish is long, clean and has slightly more emphasis on fruity notes, yet retaining quite a bit of that savory umami character with its complex aftertaste of juicy red apples and ripe citrus fruits, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of MSG-umami, light evolved waxy and woolly tones, a hint o apple peel bitterness and a touch of brackish salinity.
A clean, vibrant and quite distinctive white wine that isn’t that extraordinary or big in character, but has a quite a bit of understated complexity and a distinctively umami-rich taste that might not be that obvious at first, but which sort of jumps at you when you taste the wine contrasting more conventional white wines. The wine shows great sense of harmony through its structure, ripe fruit, mineral complexity and evolved nuances - yet coming across as relatively youthful at the same time. A fascinating wine that isn’t direct and straightforward, but instead whispers in riddles. Drinking well already now, but I’m positive this wine is going to age wonderfully for a long time if only given the chance. Priced according to its quality at 25€. (91 pts.)
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2011 Krauthaker Verduzzo Friulano Kuvlakhe - Croatia, Slavonia & Danube, Slavonija, Kutjevo (20.6.2021)
This is the first vintage of the wines in the Krauthaker Kuvlakhe range. The name comes from Kutjevo (Ku-) and Vladimir Krauthaker (-vla-khe). It is an orange wine inspired by Georgian amber wines. Made with organically farmed Verduzzo Friulano grapes, fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, macerated with the skins for 2 months in oak barrels, then pressed and aged in oak barrels. Vinified without any SO2. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13% alcohol.
Very evolved, somewhat reddish and moderately oxidative brown color. Dull, oxidative and somewhat meaty nose with sharp notes of rancio, some syrupy notes, a little bit of meat stew, light soy sauce tones and a hint of malty character. The wine is dry, tertiary and rather oxidative on the palate with flavors of soy sauce, some tangy salinity, a little bit of oxidative nuttiness, light savory notes of meat stew, a sweeter hint of dried fruits and a touch of beef jerky. The overall feel is moderately chewy and quite structured, thanks to the high acidity and somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is long, dry and savory with a little bit of tannic grip and quite oxidative flavors of chopped nuts, tangy rancio salinity, some syrupy notes, a little bit of meaty umami, light soy sauce tones, a hint of beef jerky and a touch of Sultana raisins.
Feels too oxidized to give any idea how the wine was in its youth, but at least the overall feel was enjoyably structured. I wonder whether the wine was past its peak already, or if we just had a faulty bottle. Nevertheless, I doubt the wine was supposed to be like this, so marking it as defective/oxidized. 25€ down the drain. NR (flawed)
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2011 Tomac Rajnski Rizling Amfora - Croatia, Croatian Uplands, Plešivica, Plešivica-Okić (20.6.2021)
A Riesling fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts and macerated with the skins for 6 months in beeswax-lined kvevris imported from Georgia. Aged for 24 months in old oak casks. 12,5% alcohol.
Deep, luminous and beautifully clear bronze color. Fascinating, fragrant and somewhat waxy nose with complex aromas of saffron, heady floral notes of honeysuckle and white flowers, some ripe tangerine, a little bit of funky leather character, light notes of beeswax, sweeter hints of orange marmalade and bergamot and a sharp touch of lemony citrus fruits. Contrasting the rich, fragrant nose, the wine is dry, firm and even somewhat austere on the palate with intense, savory flavors of resinous phenolic spice, beeswax, some leathery funk, a little bit of stony minerality, light crunchy notes of ripe Granny Smith apple, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of quince. The structure relies on the fresh, high acidity, while the rather mellow tannins contribute only some texture and a hint of bitterness to the taste. The lengthy finish is dry, somewhat austere and quite mineral with a subtle hint of tannic tug on the gums and quite intense flavors of stony minerality, some tart lemony citrus fruit, a little bit of tangy salinity, light crunchy notes of green apple and quince, a hint of waxy character and a perfumed touch of floral spice.
A remarkably well-made, pure and nuanced orange wine that is very savory and simply dead-serious in style. Even though there’s a certain crowdpleaser note to the nose, the wine is so dry, lean and austere on the palate that I wouldn’t call the wine particularly accessible. Stylistically it is very similar to the amber wines of Georgia, but Riesling doesn’t seem to lend the kind of richness and body the Georgian white varieties do, but instead makes a more linear and less flashy wine. Nevertheless, the quality here is obviously top-notch and while there’s certain rustic roughness around the edges, the wine is wonderfully pure and precise from the beginning to the end, not showing any excessive funk or such. The overall style is still quite youthful and while I don’t expect the wine to increase in richness or fruit as it ages, it might gain some additional depth and complexity with tertiary notes, which might help to soften the austere nature of the wine. Terrific stuff, priced according to its quality at 35€. (90 pts.)
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2014 Bibich Mosca d’Oro - Croatia, Dalmatia, Dalmatinska Zagora, Skradin (20.6.2021)
A dessert wine made from Muškat grapes. 13% alcohol.
Quite deep and concentrated lemon yellow color with faint youthful lime-green highlights. Distinctive, waxy and somewhat atypical nose with aromas of earthy exotic spices like turmeric, powdered coriander seeds and saffron, some notes of leather and waxy funk, a little bit of candied ginger, light floral notes of apple blossom, a developed hint of creaminess, a touch of bitter orange zest and a grappe-like whiff of fusel alcohol. The wine is lively and moderately sweet but not super-rich on the palate - more medium-sweet than truly sweet - with a balanced, rather full body, slightly oily mouthfeel and somewhat evolved flavors of lemon marmalade, some ripe peach, light stony mineral tones, a little bit of candle wax, a hint of candied ginger and a touch of damp wool. The wine is quite tasty but at the same time somewhat odd. The moderately high acidity helps the wine retain good sense of balance. The finish is fresh, lively and quite long with medium-sweet-to-rather sweet flavors of lemon marmalade, evolved woolly notes, a little bit of stony minerality, light waxy notes of candle wax, a hint of ginger and a floral touch of elderflower.
A quite tasty, very characterful and also somewhat odd dessert wine that isn’t super sweet nor aromatically particularly typical for a Muscat. Yes, there are some floral notes, but there are lots of somewhat odd, spicy tones, woolly undertones and a distinctive streak of candle wax. I found the wine quite enjoyable for what it is, but truth be told, if I was to select a sweet wine for desserts or a cheese platter, this might not be my first choice. It’s a good wine, but perhaps best suited to quench academic curiosity. Priced according to its quality at 13€ for a half bottle. (88 pts.)
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NV Jeff Carrel Chatgris - France, Vin de France (20.6.2021)
Although marketed as an “orange wine”, this really isn’t an orange wine but more a missing link between a white wine and an oxidative vin rancio. Made with late-harvested Grenache Gris grapes from vineyards close to Maury and Corbières, cold-soaked with the skins for a few days before fermentation. Pressed and then fermented spontaneously in used (2-3 yo) oak barrels. Aged oxidatively for 18-40 months in old oak barrels that are not topped up during the aging process. Blended from three consecutive vintages. 15% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Very slightly hazy reddish-orange peach color. Very characterful, somewhat oxidative and slightly pungent nose with aromas of creamy oak, aldehydic notes of sorrel and salted nuts, some lemony notes of citrus fruits, a little bit of whiskey-like vanilla oak, light smoky tones, oaky hints of butter and sweet wood spice and a touch of apple sauce. The wine is tangy and somewhat oxidative on the palate with a full body yet surprisingly fresh and lithe mouthfeel and characterful flavors of aldehydic sorrel, some oaky notes of caramel and vanilla, a little bit of bruised apple, light lemony notes of tart citrus fruits, hints of butter and sweet oak spice and a touch of nutty rancio. The overall feel is surprisingly bright and fresh, thanks to the high acidity - although the high alcohol lends some obvious heat to the palate. The finish is rich and juicy, moderately warm and somewhat oxidative with long and quite acid-driven flavors of green apple slices, lemony citrus fruits, some aldehydic notes of sorrel and green almonds, light oaky notes of vanilla and browned butter, a little bit of nutty rancio, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of caramel.
A very fun and distinctive wine that manages to combine oxidative Vin Jaune-like notes to more modern, oak-driven notes of Languedoc. Although the wine is marketed as an “orange wine”, nobody thought of orange wines for a moment, since this oxidative wine has nothing to do with those skin-contact whites - an aspect that couldn’t have been more obvious as it was poured after a big bunch of Croatian and Serbian orange wines. Nevertheless, this is a fun and tasty wine and the somewhat Sherried aldehydic notes play to the oaky notes of caramel, vanilla and sweet oak spice surprisingly well, making this wine work really well. The only thing that bugs me a bit is the noticeably high alcohol, which makes the wine feel a bit hot and boozy at times, but fortunately the wine retains great acidity despite the obviously high ripeness. It’s hard to say whether the wine will continue to improve in a cellar or just keep indefinitely, but I doubt it can fall apart in a cellar anytime soon - seeing how it is already “ruined” during the aging process. Fun and tasty stuff, a great purchase at 16,95€. (91 pts.)
Youthful, almost fully opaque blackish cherry color with a subtly blueish hue. The nose feels big, youthful and vibrant with almost primary aromas of blueberries and elderberries, some ripe boysenberry tones, a little bit of sappy herbal character, light inky notes, a crunchy hint of chokeberries and a touch of cherry juice. The wine is dry, somewhat austere yet still balanced on the palate with a medium body and youthful, slightly extracted flavors of crunchy chokeberries, some inky tones, a little bit of ferrous blood, light stony mineral notes, a primary hint of sweet dark fruits and a touch of fresh bilberries. The wine would have a slightly Cru Beaujolais feel to it, if it weren’t for the surprisingly tough structure, thanks to the high acidity and moderately grippy, assertive tannins. The finish is dry, moderately grippy and wonderfully fresh with long, pure flavors of bilberries and chokeberries, some tart lingonberries, a little bit of stony minerality, light inky notes, a hint of herbal bitterness and a sweeter touch of dark-toned primary fruit.
A wonderfully fresh, pure and positively tough Savoie red that has that fresh, sappy Savoyard quality typical of the wines of the region, but at the same time shows more fruit, intensity and tannic structure than what one would expect from a Savoie red. I poured this wine blind and nobody had any idea where we were - the combination of ripe and quite extracted fruit, assertive and grippy tannins, fresh and crunchy qualities and sappy, herbal character was just too hard to pin-point anywhere. All in all, a lovely effort for people who aren’t afraid of acidity and tannins. The wine is way too young at the moment, as the fruit feels just way too primary, but there’s lots of upside to this characterful red. A great example of Persan and a terrific case in point how these virtually extinct varieties should be saved from oblivion. A terrific purchase at 17,50€. (90 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
And quite odd seeing a Montepulciano from there, seeing how resistant the Georgians are to non-native varieties! Can’t really see the benefit of making Montepulciano there instead of Italy, or making wine from Montepulciano instead of any lovely local red variety.
, I could easily find out) Tomac made an amphora-aged Riesling that had a bit of a sparkle to it 