Gravner Venezia-Giulia Bianci Ribolla 2016

“Exclusively composed of the local Ribolla grape; bunches, harvested by hand, are transferred by gravity into subterranean Georgian amphora buried underground; long maceration with wild yeasts and no temperature control; after fermentation, the wine rests again in amphorae for five more months and then is aged in large oak barrels for an additional six years; bottled without fining or filtering. This is a deeply personal creation of Joško Gravner that captures the essence of Ribolla in a way no other versions do. He classifies his vintages into those affected by botrytis and those unaffected, and he particularly prizes botrytis-affected vintages for the aromatic and textural complexity they lend his wines. 2016 presented Gravner with a gorgeous sunny summer with no major weather calamities, and gentle August rains ushered in the onset of botrytis. Picking wrapped up on the 28th of October, and the finished wine—clocking in at a modest 14% alcohol—offers a beguiling salty-savory quality, with cleanly rendered minerality and a satisfying sense of textural meatiness.“ Rosenthal Wine Merchant