WINE - available
ANA CUVEE 2009
Bottles produced: 6300
The weather in 2009 was favourable and enable us to make one of the best harvests in last decade. Wine Ana Cuvée is named after Valter's grandmother Ana. Ana Cuvée 2009 is a second blend of white varieties (first edition was the harvest 2007) since we started bottling wine in 1989. It is a blend of Chardonnay (75%), Malvasia (10%), Sauvignonasse (10%) and Rebula (5%). Wine macerates (skin contact) 3 to 4 days without the control of temperature. After pressing it, it was put in big oak barrels of different dimensions (500 to 3000 liters). Wine was bottled two years after the harvest, in august 2011. Except for the minimal addition of sulphor and a few traditional interventions like racking and filling the barrels, there was no other method or substance used or added while making the wine. Ana Cuvée was created in order to offer our clients a wine similar to that which was produced on our farm before 1989. In that era the white wine was always a blend of three regional varieties – Furlanski tokaj (now Sauvignonasse), Rebula and Malvasia. Today, in addition to these varieties we add in Ana Cuvée also Chardonnay. If you want to enjoy this wine in optimal conditions we advise you open the bottle a few hours prior to consumption and to serve it at room temperature.
REBULA 2009
Bottles produced: 3300
Surface: 1,82 ha
Density of planting: 6000 plants/ha
Rebula is one of the chief autochthonous varieties of Vipava Valley and as such it reflects best our terroir and our vineyards. Its main feature is body structure and tannins that remind us of red wines and make this white unique in the wine world. Rebula 2009 was macerated for four days without the control of the temperature and fermented using only its own yeast. This allowed the wine to exctract the maximum of natural substances present in its skins. This enables a strong natural stability of wine. Other consequence is an intensive amber (yellow-orange) colour with slight opacity and possible sediments. This is also the consequence of no-filtering approach. After pressing, wine is put in big oak barrels, where is remains for two years. In this period it carries out the lactic acid fermentation. Rebula 2009 was bottled in 2011. After this it remained in the cellar, where it took it another three years to mature. In the wine cellar we don't change the character of wine, which means that we do not filter it, we do not clean it or use any oenologycal substances or methods except for racking and a minimum amount of sulphur, which we always specify on the label.
MERLOT 2007
Bottles produced: 2700
Surface: 3,4 ha
Density of planting: 1200/ha
Grapes for Merlot 2007 were picked in a 57 year old vineyard on the south slope of Biljenski griči (hills of Bilje - best wine-producing site of Vipava valley). This vintage was one of the most favourable and one of the best as for quality so for quantity in the last 10 years, which means that this merlot grapes were one of the best that we ever produced. After the harvest we allowed maceration (without control) of 14 days in open vats in which the most slowly became wine through spontaneous fermentation. After pressing, the wine matured into big oak vats for 2 years and then another 4 years in bottles before releasing it on the market. Except for an addition of a minimal quantity of sulphur and simple cellar work, the wine did not undergo any additional artificial and modern oenological practices and agents. After our experience, Merlot 2007 is after 6 years on the beginning of its maturity period and is without doubt the best merlot we ever produced till now. If you want to enjoy this Merlot in optimal conditions we suggest leaving it to mature at least another year or if that is not possible to open it some hours before use and serve it at room temperature.
WINE - archive
SAUVIGNONASSE 2009
Bottles produced: 1900
Surface: 1,47ha
Density of planting: from 3000 plants/ha to 5000 plants/ha
This is the new name for Furlanski tokaj (in Italy Tokai friulano), which was -beside Rebula and Istrska Malvazija- always a main pillar of viticulture on our farm. Our oldest vineyard is one of Sauvignonasse which was planted in 1947 and cuttings for this vineyard were missal-selected from another vineyard near us. We also practice this today, which means that when we need the material for planting Sauvignonasse, we go to our oldest vineyard and we pick the best plants for future selection, because we want to preserve the unique character of this variety. After the harvest the maceration took place for 4
days (without temperature control, without added yeasts, without clarifications…) with which we allow that a large amount of substances from the skins go into most. Consequence is a intensive yellow colour with hints of green and with a small haziness and possible sediment which is a result of non-filtering. During two-year maturation in big oak barrels the wine also did naturally the lactic fermentation (as do all our wines). After the bottling in 2011 the wine was kept in the cellar for 2 years, before we estimated that the wine was ready for market. In the cellar we do not change the characters of our wines, which means that we do not filter them, we do not clean them and we do not use any of modern oenological agents and methods, except raking, filling and adding a small quantity of sulphur (which we also write on the label).
CHARDONNAY 2008 - SELECTION
Bottles produced: 2400
Surface: 2,3ha
Density of planting: from 4500 (oldest vineyards) to 8000 plants/ha
Chardonnay is a variety which in our conditions clearly mirrors the terroir and conditions of maturation through different years and 2008 is a really good example of that. After the harvest the most was left on maceration with the skins for 4 days (without temperature control, without added yeasts…), with which it extracted from the skins a large amount of additional substances and they ensure that wines will be long-lasting with great natural stability. One visual effect of maceration is also an intensive yellow colour, a little haziness and a possibility of sediments, because our wines are not filtered. During two-year maturation in big oak barrels the wine also did naturally the lactic fermentation (as do all our wines). After the bottling in 2010 the wine was kept in the cellar for another 3 years, before we estimated that the wine is ready for market.
In the cellar we do not change the characters of our wines, which means that we do not filter them, we do not clean them and we do not use any of modern oenological agents and methods, except raking, filling and adding a small quantity of sulphur (which we also write on the label).
ANA CUVEE 2007
Bottles produced: 7700
In year 2007 the weather conditions were ideal and grapes matured even a little before than average.The wine Ana cuvée is our first blend since our first official bottling in year 1989 and is composed from Chardonnay (75%), Istrska Malvasia and Sauvignonasse (20%), Rebula and Pinela (5%). Maceration and beginning of fermentation proceeded in open vats for 4-5 days without the temperature control, added yeasts or clarifications. After pressing it, it was raked in traditional barrels of varying dimensions (500- 3000 litres). It was bottled in end of August, 2009. Except of a small quantity of sulphur and simple cellarwork (e.g. raking, filling-up…), the wine didn’t suffer from any artificial procedures or additional oenological agents.
On first evaluation of ‘’orange’’ wines in Slovenia, which was organised by Slovenian Festival of Wines and led by Isabelle Legeron, MW, Ana cuvee 2007 was awarded with the first prize. Citation from an interview with Isabelle Legeron, MW (who is in this moment the biggest authority, speakerand promoter of natural wines): ‘’The first wine 8000 years ago, when man started to make wine, was an orange wine and not like the wines that we normally produce in the last 50 years. So, with this movement of ‘’orange’’ wines the history is just continuing.’’
REBULA 2008
Bottles produced: 1600
Surface: 1,82 ha
Density of planting: 6000 plants/ha
Rebula is one of major autochthonous varieties in Vipava Valley and as such they are a clear expression of the terroir of our vineyards. Its main characteristics of a strong yellow colour and strong tannins of almost red wines make this variety unique in the whole wine world. After the harvest the maceration took place for 4 days (without temperature control, without added yeasts, without clarifications…) with which we allow that a large amount of substances from the skins go into most. Consequence is a very intensive yellow-orange colour with a small haziness and possible sediment which is a result of non-filtering. During two-year maturation in big oak barrels the wine also did naturally the lactic fermentation (as do all our wines). After the bottling in 2010 the wine was kept in the cellar for another 3 years, before we estimated that the wine is ready for market. In the cellar we do not change the characters of our wines, which means that we do not filter them, we
do not clean them and we do not use any of modern oenological agents and methods, except raking, filling and adding a small quantity of sulphur (which we also write on the label).