SLOVENIA
2019 GOLD: 4 SILVER: 2 BRONZE: 1 COMMENDED: 4
2018 GOLD: 1 SILVER: 2 BRONZE: 1 COMMENDED: 1
We’ve had a few stray Slovenian wines entered into the Sommelier Wine Awards in the past, and they’ve tended to do pretty well for the most part. So it was good to see a stronger entry here this year – and no surprise that it resulted in a record haul of medals.
There is, clearly, a uniquely wonderful terroir for white wine in this corner of Europe. Grapes such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, which often garner indifferent reviews from our tasters, are here showered with praise. Add in a couple of less common grape varieties and you end up with a stimulating range of whites with freshness, uniqueness and, crucially, personality.
The pricing was terrific, too – there aren’t many categories that attracted such positive feedback from the judges for wines that were nearly all under £12 – though Puklavec’s slightly pricey late harvest Pinot Blanc was proof that this area isn’t all about trawling around in the bargain basement.
And if you think that Klet Brda’s red Gold was a fluke, think again. It got one last year, too.
FROM THE TASTING TEAMS
‘A really fascinating flight. The wines were quite varied, with the lightly spritzed, fresh style, some really aromatic wines and some richer styles. They were surprisingly inexpensive too. They’re perfect. A lot of them made you just want to be on a patio, or on the beach. Very quaffable.’ Andres Ituarte, team leader
‘They were very good wines. It’s something people like – they’re very crisp and fresh, and good quality at all price ranges. Of course, you’d need to push these wines, or no one would ask you for them, but a lot of people want to try something new. They’re perfect for that, at the right prices. You need to serve these by the glass, not by the bottle, so that people can taste them.’ Janusz Sasiadek, Bottles & Battles