Marjan Simcic BRDA Classic Pinot Grigio 2020
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James
Suckling
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Winemaker Notes
Due to its complex body they recommend pairing it with a wide range of dishes – from cold starters to spring-summer pasta. It is excellent with sea food dishes, and not too spicy Asian, Thai and modern Japanese cuisine.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is very rich with dried mango, cooked apple, pineapple and dried apricot on the nose. It’s full-bodied with layers of fruit and wonderful depth. I like the phenolic tension and oiliness. Drink or hold.
In 1988 Salko's son Marijan took over the management of the farm. In 1997, in the village of Ceglo near Medana, a new and modern wine cellar was built, thus creating perfect conditions for producing high quality wines. The new logo of the farm was revealed and a new future began.
The year 2008 was a milestone for Simcic winery - Marjan, representing the fifth generation of winemakers, bought first pieces of Brda land and planted the oldest vineyards, becoming the pillar of winemaking from all points of view.
Marjan's story, which was told and implemented through his wines in the past 20 years, in 2008 was brought to such perfection to present to public the result of his devotion - a new line of top quality wines ''Opoka''.
Along the wines’ structure one can follow the intertwining of long-lasting winemaker’s experience, signature of his character and all the best offered by the Brda terroir.
Four wines labeled as "Opoka" (Ribolla, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot) represent a completely new dimension in the quality of Marjan Simcic wines.
Showing a unique rosy, purplish hue upon full ripeness, this “white” variety is actually born out of a mutation of Pinot Noir. The grape boasts two versions of its name, as well as two generally distinct styles. In Italy, Pinot Grigio achieves most success in the mountainous regions of Trentino and Alto Adige as well as in the neighboring Friuli—all in Italy’s northeast. France's Alsace and Oregon's Willamette Valley produce some of the world's most well-regarded Pinot Gris wine. California produces both styles with success.
Where Does Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio Come From?
Pinot Gris is originally from France, and it is technically not a variety but a clone of Pinot Noir. In Italy it’s called Pinot Grigio (Italian for gray), and it is widely planted in northern and NE Italy. Pinot Gris is also grown around the globe, most notably in Oregon, California, and New Zealand. No matter where it’s made or what it’s called, Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio produces many exciting styles.
Tasting Notes for Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio is a dry, white wine naturally low in acidity. Pinot Grigio wines showcase signature flavors and aromas of stone fruit, citrus, honeysuckle, pear and almond. Alsatian styles are refreshing, expressive, aromatic (think rose and honey), smooth, full-bodied and richly textured and sometimes relatively higher in alcohol compared to their Italian counterpart. As Pinot Grigio in Italy, the style is often light and charming. The focus here is usually to produce a crisp, refreshing, lighter style of wine. While there are regional differences of Pinot Grigio, the typical profile includes lemon, lime and subtle minerality.
Pinot Grigio Food Pairings
The viscosity of a typical Alsatian Pinot Gris allows it to fit in harmoniously with the region's rich foods like pork, charcuterie and foie gras. Pinot Grigio, on the other hand, with its citrusy freshness, works well as an aperitif wine or with seafood and subtle chicken dishes.
Sommelier Secrets
Given the pinkish color of its berries and aromatic potential if cared for to fully ripen, the Pinot Grigio variety is actually one that is commonly used to make "orange wines." An orange wine is a white wine made in the red wine method, i.e. with fermentation on its skins. This process leads to a wine with more ephemeral aromas, complexity on the palate and a pleasant, light orange hue.
A picturesque, eastern European wine growing nation, Slovenia can claim one of the most ancient winemaking cultures in all of Europe. Its history dates back to the Celts and Illyrians tribes, well before the Romans had any influence on France, Spain or Germany. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that Slovenia developed a more refined, private-sector wine industry.
Today it is a powerful source of some of the industry’s most important orange wines (whites made with extended skin contact); furthermore, fully three quarters of the country’s wine production is white.
Slovenian weather is continental with hot summers and cold, wet winters. It is divided into three wine regions: Podravje in Slovenia’s northeast; Primorska in its west, close to Italy; and Posavje in its southeast. These are further divided to nine wine districts.