The 2006 Pinot Grigio Anfora is one of the most unique wines I have ever tasted from Friuli. As the name implies, this is a Pinot Grigio fermented and macerated on the skins in terra cotta amphorae and aged in cask, in the same manner Gravner uses for all of his other wines. Deceptively medium in body, the wine dazzles with gorgeous inner perfume, surprising density on the palate and stunning overall balance. At times delicate and ethereal, while at others astonishingly powerful, Gravner’s 2006 Pinot Grigio is in a class of its own. Sweet, Pinot-like red fruits linger on the haunting finish. The maceration on the skins brings out Pinot Grigio’s naturally red skin tonality. The wine should be enjoyed at cellar temperature or slightly warmer, but not chilled. It is a totally unique, quirky but superb wine from Josko Gravner. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016.
(Not yet released)
My recent visit with Josko Gravner was an incredible experience, as I had a chance to taste a huge number of wines spanning a full 20 years. Gravner is especially proud of his 2010s, a vintage in which he had the patience to wait into October to harvest, very late even by his own standards. Yields were tiny, but the fruit achieved quite a bit of botrytis, which Gravner seeks in his whites. I tasted all of the 2010s from amphora and they are indeed full of potential. After having lost his son in a tragic motorcycle accident in 2009, Gravner remarked that the only thing left for him to do in life is to make great wines and it is quite clear that he is willing to risk everything in the pursuit of profoundness. Increasingly, Gravner is focused on his whites, which will now spend six years in barrel and another year in bottle prior to being released. All of the wines are fermented in amphora and stay on the skins until the following spring, when they are racked into cask for aging.
Importer: Domaine Select, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799
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