The Inside Story from Italian Wine Merchants

A Tour of Friuli Via Three Men

A personal look at Radikon, Movia and Gravner

Along with a group of IWM’s clients, I recently took a trip to Friuli, where we explored the region’s history and culture with a specific focus on wine. Every region in Italy is so different, especially its history, food and wine. I found Friuli to be fascinating in no small part because of its location that borders Austria and Slovenia. The region’s history and geography have strongly shaped the lives of the people, and in turn these people have shaped Friulian wine as we know it today. We were very fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit the producers who have made history in the wine-making world: the amazing Radikon, the magical Movia and the great Gravner.

Radikon

When we arrived at the Radikon estate for a lunch and tasting, there was a beautiful table set up right on the edge of a hill; we could see vineyards for miles. We were first greeted by their tail-wagging dog, Fortunato, carrying a ball in his mouth; he was followed by the rest of the family. While Suzana and Stanko were cooking away in the kitchen, the eldest son Sasa gave us a tour of the vineyards and cellar. When we sat to eat, we were delighted. The dishes were paired with several of their wines from different vintages, and the meal couldn’t have been more perfect. The Radikons were so kind and welcoming that it felt as if we were a part of the family, if only for that afternoon. It’s that welcoming philosophy and tradition that informs the winemaking process and makes Radikon wines truly special and, in my opinion, best enjoyed with people you love.

Movia

The night before our lunch at Ales Kristancic’s estate in Slovenia, he sent us an email saying that plans have changed and to throw the old menu, which had been in the works for several months, out the window. He claimed he had something even better waiting for us—and if you know or have heard stories about Ales, you know that this is no surprise, for he’s an unpredictable, free spirit. We had a magnificent six-course lunch cooked by a professional chef, accompanied by a solo guitar performance by Ales. When it was time to tour the cellar, he preceded us by a few minutes so that he could prepare. Descending into the cellar, we found he’d lit candles around his pieces of art that were displayed, thus setting the tone for his performance. He led us quietly around and whispered the secrets of the wines that surrounded us. Not able to contain his excitement, he grabbed a few glasses and dipped them into a small metal canister filled with a golden liquid. It was a special dessert wine made from Picolit and Ribolla grapes when the vines get affected by botrytis (he only makes this wine for personal consumption). It’s easy to see how Ales’ personality appears in every one of his bottles, but it’s especially evident in the Puro, his sparkling wine that he leaves undisgorged so that it has to be opened under water to remove the dead yeasts. Opening this wine is an event in itself that commands attention and draws in a crowd for the show, much like its creator.

Gravner

Visiting the Gravner estate in the afternoon for a tour and tasting, we were met by Josko himself. He appeared much more reserved than the other producers that we had met, perhaps because he still considers himself a farmer before anything else. Even before we arrived to the heart of the cellar, he paused to tell us about his journey, almost as if it were a right of passage. He wanted to make sure we understood who he was and his purpose—in short, why he made wines this way. He chose every word that he spoke carefully to show us his spirit and way of life. Wine to him is an extension of his soul; he considers it a part of him, like his children. Josko leads by example and feels that to make good wine you need to be at peace with yourself. He told us that he’s going to start aging all of his wines for seven years, because that’s the time it takes for a cell in the human body to fully regenerate. We paused before a wooden platform with an orange rim peeking up like a strange flower; this was one of the ancient clay anfora from the country of Georgia that Josko lines with beeswax and buries underground. Josko explains that the anfora was the first known technique for making wine. Believing in this tradition, Josko told us that to his thinking, there is no use in reinventing the already perfect wheel. It’s clear that Josko is sure of who he is and what he wants, and this certainty manifests itself in his wines—they embody his persona and are just as complex and nuanced as he is.

All three of these producers create magnificent wines, and I can’t even begin to give them the justice that they deserve. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have met them all and to begin my journey of understanding wine, where it comes from, who makes it and how those two factors work together make wine the glory that it is.

Regrets, Radikon and Evolution

The too-short story of a bottle of wine

Having heard that my bottle of 1994 Radikon Merlot was in danger of evolving past its peak, I uncorked my bottle to enjoy it. The wine was pleasant upon opening, emitting scents of dried strawberries, along with Christmas spices and tea leaves. The wine felt initially giving and complex on the palate and possessed minerality and a vibrant acidity, a sign the grapes were picked early. I noted a presence of a green vegetal quality—also an indication of an early harvest— that was initially kept in balance by the wonderful dried strawberry notes. Within a few minutes the wine changed, the front and mid-palate began picking up bitterness from the seeds, while the back palate reeled from the explosion of long and intense fruit flavors. This was an intriguing development; in a wine of lesser quality, fruit flavors appear on the palate initially, and recede to be replaced by the bitter phenols from the seeds. However, the Radikon was doing the reverse.

“Where was this heading?” I asked myself. There was no denying that this light-bodied wine packed a powerful strawberry wallop in the initial moments in the glass. I wondered, “Would this wine reveal more or would it end soon, having shown its all?”  It seemed too much to ask from a sixteen-year-old wine for its performance to remain at this intense level.  Eventually, I regretfully observed, the Radikon’s delightful dried fruit flavors dissipated, leaving behind the bitter notes of the seeds. I wondered what more this wine could have expressed had it been opened earlier.

And yet, wine evolves. Two hours later a new aroma began emanating from my glass. “What was this?” I thought, “Surely the wine had gone past its way.” I tasted again and found a wine that was coming into itself. The flavors and the acids had become integrated and expressive of cherries, in a tangy, savory, umami way; the bitter tannins were now non-existent. The green quality had also dissipated and was replaced by a musky quality. It was a delicious revelation.

Wine evolves, as the truism goes, and this bottle of Radikon proves the veracity of that idea. Indeed, I’m reminded that getting to know a wine means having more than just one bottle of it. A bottle holds only a small portion of the entire vintage. Each bottle upon opening tells the story of where it came from, and where it may go. To truly know the wine and the vintage you’d have to possess several bottles from the vintage and experience them over the course of time.

This ’94 Merlot’s performance indicates it could have been cellared longer. However, I have no regrets about opening it. Rather, having experienced this Radikon, I regret not having more of it—and being able to taste more of it over time. Wine evolves, and remarkable wine evolves remarkably. Unquestionably, this ’94 Radikon is a remarkable wine.

What Will Be In Your Glass?

Reflections on all the goodly wine to drink

Today shows another glorious morning; I can’t recall a spring time as wonderful as the one we’re enjoying this year. When I see the trees budding and the flowers blooming, I usually set new goals for myself for the months that follow. Some goals are very concrete and some are more amorphous, but I always have a very clear-cut agenda about what I’m going to drink. This year, my ambition is to taste more esoteric wines more often. I’ve officially been working as a wine professional for twenty years, and I now feel more inspired to take on new challenges than I have for years.

I have long been a fan of still Rosé in the spring and summer months. Americans are catching on to the Rosé trend, and some are even ready to make a big leap to the glorious white wines from Italy.  In regard to the whites, I must say that Pigato is a relatively new wine for me and one I have enjoyed tremendously. Before I started at IWM I’d not enjoyed Gravner, Radikon and Movia to the degree that I do now, and it has been a great pleasure introducing people to these wines. Now I wonder, what’s next?

Much of that desire to expand my wine horizons comes from being in a more secure place. Some of this has to do with the extraordinary people that I work with today. IWM has a remarkable pool of talent where we are constantly pushing each other, which has created marvelous tasting opportunities. So what does the future hold for us? We are seeing not only glorious Italian wines, but wines of consequence on a more global level.  Will we see Gruner Veltliner on an IWM offer? Is Schruebe truly the next big thing? I look forward to discovering the answers to these questions, expanding my reference point, and sharing my knowledge with our readers as we go forward.  There are so many beautiful wines being made in Italy and beyond that it will be a pleasure to communicate this journey.

Moving into summer, I look forward to new dishes on the grill with more fish and vegetables and less meat. I look forward to white wines with racy acidity and subtle fruit. I look forward to platters of shellfish and an endless glass of Sauvignon Blanc. I look forward to the wild, the wonderful and the esoteric.

And I look forward to hearing that your next few months are filled with similar delights.