Gravner Ribolla Gialla 2014

Drink it now or cellar for up to 20 years. It is recommended to decant it for half an hour.

Widely regarded as the master of Italian orange wines, Josko Gravner rediscovered and revitalized the Georgian practice of extended skin maceration and the use of terracotta amphorae. His estate, located in Friuli Venezia Giulia on the border with Slovenia, spans approximately 32 hectares, with only 15 dedicated to vineyards.

Gravner’s Ribolla Gialla Anfora is an orange wine of exceptional quality and character, crafted from grapes grown at the estate’s vineyards in Oslavia (Collio) using organic and biodynamic methods. Gravner favors an approach to the vineyard that allows the grapes to express their full potential and give rise to wines of extraordinary depth. Following careful selection and vinification involving five months of skin-contact maceration in Georgian amphorae, the finished wine ages for six years in large oak casks before bottling.

The result is a true masterpiece by a great artisan, featuring a brilliant, intense amber color. On the nose, it reveals a rich, complex aromatic profile with notes of dried apricot, withered flowers, aromatic herbs, candied papaya, resin, and beeswax, accented by balsamic touches on the finish. On the palate, it is full-bodied and voluminous, rich and layered, with fine tannins and a pleasant, well-balanced vein of freshness. The finish is harmonious and incredibly long-lasting. While delightful on its own, it also pairs beautifully with Middle Eastern cuisine or blue cheeses.