VRHPOLJE

 wine samples arriving

  Last Friday. It wasn't announced all over, more, it seems they wanted to keep it a small secret. Guided wine tasting took place prior to Wine shop opening in Vrhpolje, Vipava valley. Mr. Wondra insightful guided the tasting of 15 wine samples, all from Vrhpolje and Duplje villages, from whites to red wines. He emphasized the differences between wines in such small growing area. Vinification of presented wines was done professionally, no faults in wines. Samples ranged from Pergolin, Zelen, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Muscat and couple blends on white side and mostly Merlot and Cabernet, their combination and one Syrah on red side. I preferred red wines from Martin Krapež, his Merlot 2009 and his red blend, Lapor rdeče 2009. 

I wish winemakers from Vrhpolje would make the choice which wine to buy  much harder for me. Hope it happens soon.

ham baked in bread crust

 

where to start?

 

WHAT VAT ?

Vats for maceration and primary fermentation. Not that long ago every vat used to be made of wood. Nowadays there are hardly any wooden vats left. In small wineries they are mostly made of plastic, sometimes concrete. In big wineries they are of stainless steel. 
No wonder there are less and less wooden vats around. They have to be scrubbed to keep them clean, soak them before usage and they have to be stored properly not to catch any mold or worms. Plastic vats are simply washed and put aside for next season. Seems like wooden vats will soon be only pieces for museum. Here they are.

  

PIT 18

No, it isn't a computer game, doesn't have to do with car racing, neither is an casino in Detroit, Michigan. It is name of a grape variety, which shape reminds on olive.
Since 19.th century as Philloxera vitifoliae or grape vine louse almost destroyed vineyards in Europe grape vine is grafted. One of those nurseries called Trsnica Vrhpolje is in Vrhpolje, Vipava valley. They take care of vine planting material and clonal selection in Vipava valley. Here are some examples from this year's grape exhibition.

Yes, it's a grape variety!

Perhaps the only real indigenous vine variety of importance in Vipava valley

Local grapevine variety, popular in upper Vipava valley

One of less known and grown varieties

Vitovska has gained it's fame through winemakers as Vodopivec Paolo, Zidarich Benjamin, Škerk Sandi....

Some grape varieties have more names, depending from location, Teran is known as red wine made of Refošk grape

Local grape variety of lesser importance

 

WINE AND HORSE

Do horses drink wine? Probably yes, if one offers it to horse. It would be pity though to offer wine which this horse's owner makes. 
Painstaking and precise work in vineyards through the year, with low yield, long maturation process in clay vessels from Georgia and later wooden barrels tell different story of the wine.
In fact this makes Joško's wine unique. He is responsible for small wine making revolution in this part of Slovenia, Italy and beyond. Afterwards many winemakers couldn't resist the temptation of making wine in quevri, also called amphora... 
But it isn't just the process. It is his philosophy from pruning in winter and through the year to harvesting the grapes. Just to mention the work in vineyard. The wine Joško Gravner makes is very different from wine made in Georgia, at least as far what I tasted. Georgian ancient tradition of wine making inspired him to make his wines, not to copy them. The wines Joško makes definitely aren't something one would just make a sip and say: OK. 
His white wines are rich in taste, with herbal, also fruity note, fresh and clean in mouth.
http://www.wineanorak.com/italy/joskogravner.htm

When everybody complain about bad year for vine growing, he says: this is my best vintage so far.
I'm anxious to see what Joško makes out of this challenging year.

any wine left for me?

...just some goats inside...

...years ago they were "born" in amphora

      

BREAD &...

I bought some local sheep cheese from Vrtovin, Vipava valley recently. It is not too strong, yet definitely sheep cheese. It goes well plain with wine, structured white wine or red as well. How would this cheese go with bread? Not average bread, but bread with herbs. Since there is some Tarragon in my herb garden I decided to make a bread that goes with sheep cheese and with any jam as well. Not salty bread and not sweet, for sweetness comes from Tarragon.

750g flour, mix of white 500 and a bit of rye
20g fresh yeast
60g melted butter
400ml warm milk
leveled TSP salt
2 SP brown sugar
2 egg yolks
2 branches of Tarragon finely chopped
half TSP of lemon zest finely chopped

Here is the result.

fresh lemon for zest

fresh Tarragon

makes two loafs

bread with Tarragon

      

SALTY ENOUGH ?

North Adriatic sea. Dating from 15.th to 17.th Century salt beds in Strunjan have long tradition. They were some of the important salt gaining facilities for Venetian Republic. Since 14.th century a new salt gaining process from island of Pag has been introduced to salt beds of Piran and vicinity. So called petola is man made basement-crust of salt beds with help of microorganisms. This crust prevents salt to pick up soil and therefore coloration when harvesting.
For couple of years the salt beds have been restored and are in use again after longer period of negligence. Now they are part of Strunjan natural park. This year conditions for finest of salt's "fleur de sel" are ideal. Calm sea and very dry, warm weather. This salt is well known in gourmet kitchen. It is perfect for finishing touch on various dishes.   

Traditional harvest of finest salt

Tiny film of delicate "fleur de sel" on water surface

Salt beds of Strunjan

Regular sea salt

 

WATER?

Dry vineyard in dry landscape not far from Štanjel

There won't be much to pick this fall...

Still no rain...