Wines grown in Slovenia
Wines grown in Slovenia
Laski Rizling was so widely cultivated in the years just after WW2 that it came to be regarded as the principal wine of Slovenia -- foreign literature would warn traders and buyers that "Slovenian Rizling is not to be mistaken for the Rieslings grown in the Rhein valley" -- quite unnecesserily since Laski Rizling is always labeled so and can not be mistaken for Renski Rizling also grown in Slovenia.
Due to its high resistance to frost and molds, Laski Rizling grapes are best suited for late vintages, "suhi jagodni izbor" and "ledeno vino".
In Slovenia this is a very aromatic wine, selection (and difference in soils) produced two distinct variations: the Sauvignons grown in Primorska region tend to have a bouquet reminiscent of drying hay; Podravska region (mostly) produces one with a distinct bouquet of elder blossoms. Sauvignon must contains up to 20% sugar in good years, late vintages up to 24%, but even in poor years the wine is aromatic and consistent. Acids are moderate and balanced and the wine ages well. Sauvignon by Vipava won the Gold medal at the 1993 Wine Fair in Bordeaux; limited editions from Kogl are a combinations of art and wine: late vintage Sauvignons with graphics by Janez Bernik and Joze Ciuha.
Riesling is an elegant wine even when young, rich in matured acids, with an overpowering bouquet; the wine ages well, even poor vintages -- the saying goes that there are no "small" Rieslings, just "underage" Rieslings. A matured late vintage Renski Rizling is certainly the best one can find in white wines of Slovenia.
The vine gives a regular and plentiful yield, but it is not particularly resistant to frost. Berries are quite large and tend to crack and rot. In good years, the sugar content is good (though always less then Sauvignon) and the acids are generous. In bad years, the wine is quite flat.
Good vintage Sipon is a dry, yellowish-green wine with 9-10.5% alcohol; among the white wines, Sipon is the richest in acids: 8-9.5 grams/litre. The bouquet is quite gentle, the wine tastes fresh and smooth.
The color of young wines varies from a light greenish-yellow to a deep golden yellow. Sivi pinot is always a vigorous wine, full-bodied, high in alcohol and low in acids; the Sivi pinot from Primorska are (almost) always dry, while Podravska region sometimes offers delightful late vintage semi-dry wines. The ultimate in Sivi pinot wines is "suhi jagodni izbor", very rarely achieved in Podravska region.
Some examples: two White Pinots from Goriska Brda, the "old" and the "new" design, and one from Vipava.
Due to slightly darker color of the grapes, young Chardonnay is more golden-yellow then the White Pinot; acids are rich, but matured and mild. Chardonnay grown in good sites is a good grape for special predicate wines ("izbor", "jagodni izbor", "suhi jagodni izbor"), but only in very dry autumns. Due to its rich and mild acids the wine ages well and remains alive and fresh for years.
For your viewing pleasure (but unfortunately not for tasting), four special Chardonnays: from Vipava with Silver medal from the 1993 Bordeaux wine fair; by Kristancic, Gold Champion of the 1993 Wine Fair in Ljubljana; the elegant Bagueri; art and wine -- late vintage from Kogl with graphics by France Mihelic.
The wine is of a light greenish-yellow color, mild and harmonious, slightly soft, with a neutral bouquet and slight acidity -- not exactly what one would consider a memorable wine, but then, some wine lovers do not favour the strong bouquets of e.g, Traminec or Renski Rizling. In good years, the wine is mellow and pleasantly fruity, but in unfavourable years, Silvaner's acids tend to be rough and the taste unpleasantly reminiscent of soil, particularly when grown on heavy soils.
Traminer bouquet is simply incomparable; the rare good vintages produce a very aromatic wine with high alcohol content and rather slight acids; the wine is usually semi-dry to semi-sweet, full-bodied and velvety. It is a true connoisseur's wine, sometimes also described as a "ladies' wine" - on the precarious assumption that its aromatic flavour is especially preferred by the female sex. Aging is a risky business with Traminer and definitely not to be undertaken by an amateur -- only some late vintages, very rare, improve with age, but only with professional care of a master cellarer.
In good years, Muscatel is a richly yellow wine and quite distinguished with its unmistakable muscat aroma, with average alcohol content and mild acids; in poor years, the wine is rather thin. Like Traminer, Muscatel is not a wine to be aged by an amateur -- even moderate variations in temperature, almost unavoidable in all but the large professional wine cellars will quickly spoil the wine.
The wine is greenish-yellow to golden yellow, moderate in alcohol and acids. Rebula is a wine with a gentle bouquet and a neutral flavour -- a fresh and pleasant wine, which however doesn't age well.
One should note that some winemakers in Primorska still produce Rebula (and some other white wines) in the "old way", that is, like in the production of red wines, the skins are kept in the must during primary fermentation. The effect is interesting, but most wine lovers dislike the "un-white" taste of such wines.
Malvazija is not a dependable vine, even in good years its yield is irregular at best. The wine is golden yellow and has a balanced flavour, with no special bouquet; Malvazija is a rather strong wine, with 12% of alcohol. In poor years, this wine is rather flat.
Tokaj grapes are golden yellow and very sweet; the vine is quite dependable, with regular and plentiful yield.
The wine is of a light greenish-yellow color, dry, high in alcohol, with a neutral and rather delicate bouquet. The acids are low, but can be quite rough in young wine -- generally, young Tokaj is quite unprepossessing, but aged ones are quite distinguished; aging is however quite demanding.
The wine is light golden yellow, moderate in alcohol and acids, with a subtle bouquet and a pleasant, fresh and fruity flavour. Pinela has become so rare that there is no information on how well it ages.
Zelen means "green" in Slovene and that is the distinguishing color of this wine: from a deep yellowish green to a surprising emerald green. The wine is quite strong in alcohol, with rich and balanced acids. The bouquet is noble and unaggressive. With aging, Zelen becomes a particularly distinguished wine.
Ranina grapes are very sweet, with a pleasant aroma; the berries are quite large, so the fruit is sometimes offered as table grapes. Young wine is of a light greenish-yellow color, with moderate acids and a noble bouquet; with its high sugar content, Ranina must is almost never fermented into a dry wine -- semi-dry to sweet varieties are standard. Since it ripens so early, Ranina is an ideal grape for late vintages -- late vintage Ranina is quite a heavy wine, rich in extract and alcohol and very aromatic. The wine ages very quickly.
Modri pinot ripens moderately late and the yield is usually low. The must is sweet and aromatic, and the skins have a high content of pigments which gives the wine a deep ruby-red color. Young wines tend to be a little rough; Modri pinot requires two years of cask-aging, and a further two to five years in the bottle to reach perfection. Matured Modri pinot is moderate in alcohol, the acids are moderate and balanced, the bouquet noble and unobtrusive.
The wine is light ruby-red, mild, with low alcohol content and acidity; it ages quickly. Portugalka is rarely on offer as a single-grape wine, though young wine is quite pleasant, albeit unprepossessing; usually it is blended with other, more aromatic wines -- e.g., to form delightful rose wines.
The wine is ruby-red, with moderate acids and moderate alcohol; it has a gentle, characteristic bouquet and a pleasant taste. The wine ages well. Merlot Barrique, with its special tannin tang is a truly memorable wine, though not to everybody's taste.
The wine is ruby-red, rather rich in alcohol, acids are pleasantly rounded and mature. Cabernet Sauvignon has a distinguishing gentle and noble bouquet. This wine only reaches its prime with aging, bottles should be properly stored for four to six years -- with its noble mature bouquet, aged Cabernet Sauvignon is at the very pinnacle of red wines. Those who find Merlot Barrique too heavy but like the tangy taste, will find in the smooth Cabernet Sauvignon Barrique a truly memorable experience.
Only wine made from grape grown in the littoral is sold as Refosk or Refosko; this wine is moderate in alcohol, with alow acid content -- all in all, a pleasant but unprepossessing wine that does not age well.
But what gives Teran its particular flavour is the lactic acid. Must of Refosk, grown in soils of Karst contains an enzyme that catalyzes the "apple" acid (one of the standard wine acids) into lactic acid -- this happens to an extent with some other red wines, but in Teran, almost all of the "apple" acid is converted into lactic acid.
Teran is a dark ruby-red wine with a special, velvety taste and a pleasant earthly bouquet. It is a great appetizer. Teran produced in the standard way ages unpredictably.
The wine is deep ruby-red, with high alcohol content, but fresh with moderate and matured acids. Berbera ages well.
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