Mini-Vertical of Ten Gravner Wines
Wines from Gravner
If there’s any staunch, whimsical and almost idiosyncratic winemakers that are resolute advocates of thousands of years old traditional winemaking skills, Josko Gravner of Gravner winery in Fruili-Venezia Giulia region of northeast Italy definitely counts as one. He is the high priest of orange wines.
Different from modern winemakers who are quick to adopt new technologies, Gravner, on the other hand, reached back 5,000 years to ancient Georgia. He went so far as to import large quantities of amphorae from there, sealed them carefully and buried them deep underground for fermentation, an ancient winemaking technique that could trace back to more than 5,000 years ago in Caucasus. James has been to bevy of amphorae which are under Gravner's house.
The result is a kind of wine that tastes like no other and even looks like no other. One noticeable feature of the Gravner wines is its golden, amber hue that sometimes even takes on this tawny brown color, a result of long-term grape maceration. Usually when making white wines, the solids were separated from skins to achieve the light color, in this case, the skins were left in contact with the crushed grapes for months usually seven in the amphorae before they were transferred to age in large oak barrels. This process gave the white wine more texture, structure, more commonly found in red wines, in addition to the orange color, hence the name “orange wine”.
Some mistake the color as oxidation, thinking the wines are spoiled, but the wines still taste fresh - although they are tannic or phenolic. All said, it can be an acquired taste to say the least. James obviously likes them.
Among the ten wines tasted by James, one of the highest rated wines is the 2006 Gravner Ribolla Anfora. The contrast of the mature look and the fresh taste almost suggests a disconnection as James writes. The wine is so quirky and whimsical - may not be for everyone - but nonetheless, is "a unique and stylish wine," James concludes.
The winery also makes a white blend called Breg, using sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot grigio and riesling italico. The latest release 2006 vintage is an exciting orange wine and was recognized by James as "fun and thought-provoking". There’s also a red wine, Rosso Breg, made from pignolo, a local red grape varietal in Fruili-Venezia Giulia. Some of its older wines from 1998 and 1999 vintages still hold well today. The 1999 Rujno, for example, is a decadent merlot, and the 1998 Collio Breg shows lots of fruit notes as James writes in the tasting note.
Here are the ten wines from Gravner that James tasted this year, ranked by score. Click on the wine names for tasting notes and scores.
Gravner Ribolla Venezia-Giulia Anfora 2006
Gravner Ribolla Venezia-Giulia Anfora 2004
Gravner Venezia-Giulia Rujno 1999
Gravner Venezia-Giulia Bianco Breg 2007
Gravner Ribolla Gialla Venezia-Giulia 2007
Gravner Venezia-Giulia Anfora 2002
Gravner Venezia-Giulia Breg 2006
Gravner Venezia-Giulia Rosso Breg 2004
Gravner Venezia-Giulia Breg 2004
- Natalie Wang
