Gravner, Ribolla Gialla, Friuli, Italy 2014

“Burnished brass in color, with a fragrant supernova of heather, milled white pepper, fennel seed and crushed pine aromatics exploding from the glass. Firm and chalky in texture on the palate, layering sleek acidity with flavors of dried raspberry, white cherry, iodine, almond skin, chopped rosemary and iron that slowly expand through the long, concentrated finish. This distinctive offering is a gorgeous example of a skin-contact wine. Drink now through 2029.”-95WS

The vineyards of the domaine curl over the hills passing seamlessly across the border of Italy into the slopes of Slovenia.  Meticulously maintained, the rows of grapevines settle into terraces that are dotted throughout with trees and bodies of water designed to attract wildlife and assure biodiversity.  Gravner is steadily replanting to assure the primacy of the autochthonous grape varieties of Ribolla and Pignolo.  After determining that stainless steel was not a proper marriage for his wines in the 1990s, Josko Gravner decided to follow the ancient wine-producing techniques used in the Caucasus and has began fermenting his wines in huge amphorae buried in the ground in his cellars in 2001, with a full conversion for all wines as of 2004.  The whites, which make up about 85% of the estate’s production, spend about 10 months total in amphorae, with the reds a shorter 1 to 2 months.  He insists on aging his wines in large barrels for many years so release dates for most wines are from 7 to 10 years and more from the date of harvest.

The Ribolla Gialla is composed exclusively of the local Ribolla grape. It is fermented in Georgian amphorae buried underground. It undergoes a long maceration with wild yeasts and no temperature control. After fermentation, the wine rests again in amphorae for five more months and then is aged in large oak barrels for an additional six years. It is bottled without fining or filtering.