Vodopivec Solo MM9 IGT Venezia Giulia 2009

Wine Type:
Style of Wine:	Rich & Creamy
Country of Origin:	Italy
Wine Region:	Friuli
Grape Varietal:	Vitovska
Bottle Format:	750mL
Case Size:	6 bottles
$543.24 Per Case ($90.54/btl) This is a special order item

Tasting Notes

This wine is a selection of the oldest vines, from grapes grown on the estate’s most rocky vineyard. This wine is a pure expression of Vitovska grown in this harsh climate. The vineyards are dry-farmed (never irrigated) with rocky soils on a base of the indigenous “Carso triestino” at an altitude of 260m. Vines are planted at 10,000 vines/ha, and are trained with Alberello trellasing, with minuscule yields of only 0.5kg per plant. Grapes were harvested manually on September 20, and placed in small, wooden crates. 2009 was characterized by a wet start in late June and early July, followed by a hot july and August.

The destemmed grapes are crushed and fermented in Georgian Amphora (terra cotta), and left to rest on their skins for 6 months. During this period, the cap is plunged several times a day. There is no use of temperature control or cultured yeast. After fermentation, the must is pressed with a basket press. The wine is then further matured for an additional 6 months in Georgian Amphora (terra cotta), followed by 24 months in large 3,000L Slavonian oak barrels, where it was carefully racked every 6 months. No sulphur is used during vinification. The wine is bottled unfiltered, and as such may show some sediment or deposits in time. Best served at 15°C.

Critical Praise

“Paolo Vodopivec is a bona fide member of the brotherhood of natural wine producers, crafting his potions on the rocky outcrops of the Carso Peninsula near Trieste in northeastern Italy. The grape in play in the Solo MM9 is the native vitovska, fermented in buried Georgian qvevri (clay amphorae) for six months on the skins, followed by an additional two year sojourn in large, old oak botti. It’s a decidedly amber-orange tinged wine with a remarkable degree of complexity that takes several hours, if not days, to emerge after opening (decant well ahead of serving, not overly chilled, around 13-15ºC). The nose evokes orange pekoe tea, wildflower honey, dried peaches and apricots and fresh hay, among many other things. The palate has palpable tannic structure that subsides with aeration to a gentle dusty texture, while and ripe-balanced acids further shore up mouthfeel. Don’t expect a standard fruity wine - this moves well beyond that realm into the land of savoury-umami character. An original wine with a narrow audience to be sure, but one certainly worth a look to understand the expanding range of flavours available in the world of wine with a nod back to the style I imagine prevailed in ancient times. Available in 6 packs from the agent. Tasted August 2013.” - 92 pts,John Szabo, MS, WineAlign.com