Sometimes you are fortunate to enjoy a bottle of wine that has close to perfect pitch. This is the best bottle I've ever had from Josko Gravner, the Maestro.
Subtle aromatics, but the complexity of the palate is wonderful at this stage of development. White peach, almond, pit and a honeyed (but not sweet) viscosity on a lengthy, beautifully alluring finish that draws you in. Don't drink this too cold. It unfolds beautifully in the glass.I look forward to the release of the 2010 Gravner Ribolla Riserva in 2024. Paired nicely with grilled salmon.
Producer notes:
Roughly thirty-two hectares (of which eighteen are under vine) located in the high quality area of Oslavia in the Collio, a true if unofficial grand cru for Ribolla Gialla. The estate is arguably Italy’s best (by far) at making minimal intervention wines, with long macerations, was one of the first to turn to amphoras as an aging vessel. There is simply no comparison between Gravner’s wines (in matters of texture, cleanliness, precision and depth) and similarly made wines by practically anyone else in the region or the country, for that matter. That fact recognized, I want to stress that the talent level has always been extraordinary here, such that the wines have always been outstanding, and this was true even long ago when long macerations and amphoras weren’t an issue. Witness for example the magnificent 1983 Ribolla Gialla that I remember well from my university days in Rome. Today the estate is all about trying to re-establish a natural balance in its vineyards (for example by creating ponds on the property and by planting olive, wild apple trees and cypresses to create a habitat for different animals), moving away with as much technology and equipment and utensils as possible, such as barriques. Over the years the estate has also moved away from a lot of the different varieties it had planted, so there are no more Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Grigio wines produced, for example. The Ribolla Gialla wines age extremely well and though you have to like white wines being treated as reds, it’s hard to argue with their quality. Even more impressive is the Rosso Breg, made with Pignolo (the only red grape left on the property), a variety that gives “tough tannins” a whole new meaning, yet Gravner’s version is remarkably complex and smooth. -- Ian D'Agata, May 2018
Great videos:
I'd really like to visit someday...
Day two notes:
The palate has continued to blossom with enhanced depth and complexity. I can understand why Gravner sees the framework for a Riserva release in 2024 in this vintage. It is a truly beautiful wine.
Gravner's winery and vineyards are located just north of the town of Oslavia in the Collio Goriziano DOC.
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