Wine Club - January 2020

Burja – “Zelen” (2018)

Grape Variety(s): Zelen

Style: Dry White

Region: Vipava Valley, Slovenia

Winemaker: Primoz Lavrencic

Soil: Marl, Sandstone, Limestone

Age of Vines: 5-10 yrs

We’re excited to introduce you to something that’s likely new for everyone- Orange wine from Slovenia. Located just north of the NE Italian border, lies the flourishing wine region of the Vipava valley of Western Slovenia. Don’t be shocked if you see more wines coming out of Slovenia and the rest of Eastern Europe in the coming years as more countries continue to grow out its Yugoslavian history and into the modern era. Headed by winemaker and farmer Primroz Lavrencic, the native grape Zelen is grown on a 5 acre plot and produces the wine of the same name. This is an ancient, rediscovered variety found only in Vipava vally. This is a delicate wine with a great texture and flower aromatics. The orange(ish) color comes from the juice staying with the skins of the wine grapes for the first 7 days of fermentation. The wine is made entirely in concrete tanks. This is a wine that should be extremely versatile in pairing with just about any food.

Laurent Family – “Polemico” (2018)

Grape Variety(s): País

Style: Dry Red

Region: Secano Interior, Chile

Winemaker: Damien Laurent

Soil: Limestone, Clay

Age of Vines: 10 yrs

Another super deal from the Laurent Family! Here we have País aged in 900L barrel for 11 months. Not familiar with the grape? País is widely considered the first grape brought over to the “new world” by Spanish missionaries back in the 1700s. It is widely planted up and down the western South American coast and all the way up to the Baja Peninsula and into California. It’s also called “Misión” or “Listán.” In Chile, the grape particularly thrives and unmistakably takes on a smoky characteristic that is just begging to be paired with something off the grill. Enjoy!