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I FEEL SLOVENIA WINE TASTING – AMSTERDAM
This tasting was as usual (thanks to Ghislaine Melman) perfectly organized by MELMAN-COMMUNICATIONS, this time in the trendy hotel CASA400. Before the tasting Master of Wine Frank Smulders gave a presentation of the Dutch wine market for the Slovene companies; during the tasting Frank Smulders and the Slovene wine authority Robert Gorjak gave different workshops for the Dutch trade, restaurants and press sector.
A MAN’S DREAM BECAME REALITY
Some time ago, I met a handsome, intelligent, passionate and very charismatic businessman during one of my visits to Slovenia. He told me that he was starting a new project in the higher Vipava Valley. He was presented to me, after a tasting of mostly ‘autochthonous’ grape varietal wines. I was fascinated by 2 of these grapes, the ZELEN and the PINELA… The guy, called ZMAGO PETRIČ, was planning to focus on these typical autochthonous grapes. His project is now a real vineyard, 10 hectares big, predominantly planted with local varieties like zelen, pinela and rebula (ribolla gialla). I have not been there yet, but I hardly can wait to do it! In the Amsterdam tasting, the self-proclaimed ‘odd job all-round manager’ Martin Gruzovin, presented with full conviction 6 wines of this relatively recent company called GUERILA. The name refers to the passionate struggle of Zmago Petrič for a revival of the local Vipava grapes zelen and pinela, but in his own, a tiny bit rebel way … like a guerilla fighter. All wines are produced from organically grown grapes.
Zmago Petrič – adapted web picture from RZPR
The ZELEN 2010 is an enticing, complex wine with a great balance between crispy freshness, aromatic power (fresh, green Mediterranean aromatic herbs, yellow stone fruits and a hint of flowers) and soft, delicate, round and mineral structure. Very nice wine!
The PINELA 2010 is also crispy fresh and well-balanced but more exotic in its aromas (is it a question of varietal aromas or of specially selected aroma enhancing yeasts?) and a bit more layered in its structure (may be because of different harvest moments to get fresh, ripe and slightly overripe grape aromas?). Very nice wine!
The ROMA 2008 is a blend of rebula, zelen and pinela. I had high expectations of this wine and I was a bit disappointed. The wine itself is great, fresh and aromatic, with a very nice structure. Unfortunately, the oak is even after more than 3 years too much present. This might be very well acclaimed in the USA or UK by still many consumers, the trend now goes very fast to less concentration, less oak and more fruit and freshness. I would say ‘more wine, less oak’. I didn’t like at all those coconut, vanillin and toffee/caramel scents and taste in this wine. Quite a pity, because the wine itself is really great by itself! Get rid of the American oak barrels and use only – good – French barrels (used, 1 or 2 years old) for maximum 50% and the rest whether in big Slavonian oak or in stainless steel tanks! The wine deserves it, and you will see that bronze and silver medals will turn to gold ones!
The ROSÉ 2010 (merlot, cabernet sauvignon) is very aromatic (black currants, cherries and a hint of spices) and fresh. Surprising wine, very well made.
The CUBA 2009 is also a surprising wine… The name reminds me the old link between ‘Guerrilla’ and ‘Cuba’, but it is also the Spanish world for ‘tank’ of ‘cuvée’. This is a red blend wine from merlot and barbera (20 %?). Same story here for me, concerning the use of oak… When I want to drink an espresso or a dark chocolate, I don’t open a bottle of wine. The beautiful berry fruit and the great freshness of this wine are too much dominated by the oak. The ageing of 16 months (!!!) is much too long to my humble opinion. The wine deserves a better and shorter oak ageing.
The NIKA 2009 was mind-blowing… Totally crazy experience… Imagine a kind of straw wine with 200 g/l residual sugar and 6 g/l total acidity, very fruity and lovely spicy, full of skin and fine lees aromas… but made from cabernet sauvignon and merlot grapes! This is absolutely gorgeous, totally different, slightly insane and definitely addictive. Very well made, exciting, extravagant wine! This is definitely a GRAND GOLD WINE!
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