2016 Gravner Ribolla Venezia Giulia IGT

A legendary expression of orange wine from one of Italy's most visionary winemakers, Josko Gravner. Crafted from Ribolla Gialla grapes cultivated in this region for over a thousand years, this wine represents the pinnacle of natural, amphora-aged winemaking.

Hand-harvested bunches are transferred by gravity into subterranean Georgian amphorae, where they undergo extended skin maceration for several weeks with wild yeasts and no temperature control. The wine is then pressed and returned to amphorae for five months before spending six years aging in large Slavonian oak casks. Nothing is added except trace amounts of sulfur, and the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered.

The wine displays a striking amber hue with deep golden-orange tones achieved through extended skin contact. The nose is intense and multifaceted, offering aromas of dried apricot, orange peel, and honey intertwined with earthy notes of tea leaves, dried flowers, and a touch of spice, all enriched by subtle oxidative qualities. Full-bodied and textural on the palate, it possesses a tannic structure reminiscent of red wine.