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<\/a><\/p>\nDate tasted:\u00a0 May 19th, 2009<\/strong><\/p>\n Exciting things are happening in Western Slovenia and North Eastern Italy.\u00a0 The exciting thing that both countries have in common is the Rebula (Ribolla Gialla)<\/a> grape which is quickly gaining cult status among us wine nerds. \u00a0\u00a0 It produces aromatic wines with high acidity and when a little skin contact is added to the mix, wines of great complexity and length can be produced.\u00a0 (White) wines with skin contact are gaining popularity in the wine world and being referred to as “orange wines” due the color that extended skin contact gives the wine.<\/p>\n They grow 100% of their grapes in their vineyards, which cover 16 ha.\u00a0\u00a0 They believe in the most natural methods of viticulture, reducing crop and leaving the grapes on the vine as long as possible.\u00a0 They also follow ancestral and traditional vinification methods in the cellar, which is located 5 meters underground.<\/p>\n This wine is the Rebula Reserva (Seleklija).\u00a0 The Rebula vines are 48-51 years old and lie at an altitude of 200-250 meters above sea level.\u00a0 They have a North-West exposure and the soil is composed of marl, slate and sandstone.\u00a0 The grapes are hand-harvested (bunches are carefully selected)\u00a0 at the beginning of October.\u00a0 The fermentation takes place with the skins in 3000 liter conical oak barrels (tino) using only indigenous yeasts.\u00a0 The wine is separated from the skins after 6 months of maceration.\u00a0 The wine is then matured in big oak barrels for 2 years.\u00a0 The wine was bottled in September of 2008 without fining or filtration.\u00a0 No added sulfur.\u00a0 Only 2000 bottles produced.\u00a0 13.5% Alcohol (14% according to the label).\u00a0 Total acidity is 4.56 grams per liter.\u00a0 Price in Norway is 250 Norwegian Kroner ($39)<\/p>\n<\/a>Vinarstvo Sim\u010di\u010d<\/a> is situated in Ceglo (Zegla), a small village in the region of Goriska Brda<\/a>, by the Slovene-Italian border, by the Italian hills of Collio.\u00a0 Half of their vineyards lie in Slovenia while the other half lie in Italy.\u00a0 An hour and half drive will get you both to Venice or the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana. I have been told that this is one of the top producers in Slovenia, if not the top.\u00a0 In fact, I was speaking to a respected source who also sampled some of their red wines (blind) and said that they were better than many Bordeaux’s….<\/p>\n