HAVE YOU SEEN THE RAIN?

Mid-summer heat. Even flays are resting on early afternoon. OK, it is summer and it should be hot. We're used to this. What is causing increasing worries is absence of decent precipitation for almost a year. The winter was dry, very windy and cold. Lack of water is visible everywhere. It is becoming obvious in recent weeks when shrubs and trees are loosing their foliage. Even hardy plants like vine with deep roots are beginning to show the stress. Depending from ground type it is more or less obvious. Some vineyards on shallow Karst soil or higher laying grounds with Merrel terrain are especially affected. Suitable grounds on Karst are not abundant. Therefore many vineyards are planted where only shrubs and grass was growing before. Additional soil had to be brought there in order to plant vine. Few have irrigation system installed. Actually there was no need for it. And it doesn't pay of. This summer is putting the plants, also vine to test. The forecast for next two weeks is: hot and sunny.

natural vineyard

dawn in Karst vineyard

about 70 years old Teran vine...it will probably survive even this drought

Teran grapes

Emil Tavčar and his special Teran, vintage 2010, hard year but a small quantity of extreme rich wine

Teran, Malvazija, Vitovska...Karst wine

           

CAN YOU SMELL IT? YES WE CAN!

The difference.

Suddenly a black wine glass came on the table. Let's try it, how does an excellent Valter Mlečnik's  Sauvignonasse (ex Tokaj, Tocai Friulano) vintage 2007 taste from a black glass? This black glass was standing in a cupboard for a while, so it had to be rinsed first. Accidentally some wine has already been poured into the glass. To check if a spider or some other bug is swimming in it, we re poured it to standard transparent wine glass. Why don't we try to find most appropriate glass for this wine? Soon we had a small collection of five different shaped wine glasses in front of us.

Mlečnik's Sauvignonasse 2007 is a full, complex wine with smell of tropical fruit and a hint of herb mixture, very balanced, smooth in mouth. Must, for those who like natural wine. I'm sure also many of those who aren't into natural wine would like it.

The first glass from left to right was OK, but some aromas didn't come completely developed to expression

The second glass was the best for this wine. Whole range of aromas came to nose, nicely balanced with the taste.

The third glass was also very good, maybe a bit less intensive aromas.

The fourth glass emphasized more high volatile aromas, it seemed to me also more alcohol.

The fifth glass from left to right was at least appropriate, aromas did not develop as in previous glasses.

If you happen to have Mlečnik's Sauvignonasse 2007, for complete satisfaction I recommend to drink it from glass shaped like second or third from left to right.

Na zdravje! (Cheers!)