Skerk Ograde 2022

Ograde is Skerk's field blend from the Carso, the limestone plateau above Trieste where Sandi Skerk works Vitovska, Malvasia, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc together. The vines grow in the thin red soil that fills hollows in the karst, a geology that gives the wine its mineral depth and saline edge, while the bora wind keeps the grapes healthy and concentrated. All four varieties macerate together on their skins for about fifteen days in wooden vats, an extended contact that extracts tannin, phenolics and the deep amber colour. Fermentation runs on native yeasts, and the wine then rests on its fine lees for twelve months in 550-litre barrels and stainless steel, adding texture and slow oxidative complexity. It is bottled unfiltered and without added sulphur. The colour is a deep amber. The nose shows chestnut honey, ripe citrus and walnut over dried apricot, dried herbs and a touch of tobacco. The palate is dry and firmly structured, the tannin substantial, the finish long and savoury. Serve at 14 to 16 degrees, decanted. It suits roast pork, poultry, aged cheese and earthy dishes.