THE WINES
Decent complexity and balance here, this perhaps best shows Janko’s schtick that the ‘unfashionable’ grapes he works with can raise wines far more compelling than their reputations suggest. Any Pét Nat or farmhouse cider fan will love this instantly.
“I like the reports on pet-nat gushes. Here, no gushing.
“Sweet blossoms and all things peachy, fennel or anise type of aroma, which is a good mix of sweet and refreshing. It reminds me of pastis and soda (big fan) with a big squeeze of lemon. Lots of citrus and salt on the palate with a touch of raw almond. It’s a refreshing sparkling with lively bubbles and certain clarity to flavours, that doesn’t overwhelm with the perfume of Muscat as it sometimes happens. Spot on.”
92 points, Kasia Sobiesiak, Winefront
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Additional Information
ABOUT THE PRODUCER
Gabernik 23 have been one of our more random but welcome finds. Somehow fitting within the sphere of natural wines, we feel these qualify more on punk ethos, given vigneron Janko Bogatič’s enthusiasm for varieties he considers unfashionable or unloved, even if ironically or through recent fads in our part of the world, Zweigelt and Rumeni Muškat (yellow muscat) seem to have enthusiastic followings.
The hulking Janko has been working in his family’s vineyards since age 10, assisted today by his even more imposingly framed son Janko Jr; this long time grape grower has recently started making and bottling his own wines. Winemaking guidance is provided by Nick Gee of Heaps Good Wine Co (also within our folio) of whom Janko is a principal fruit supplier, but he raises his own style of springy, fresh, clean and easily guzzlable cuvées.
Janko’s 23 acres of vines are situated in Ritoznoj (pronounced Rit-ozh-noy) at around 500m altitude, in the foothills of the Pohorje ranges in the country’s north-east, around 40 minutes south of the Austrian border. The area is characterised by marl soils, warm summer days (high 20 degrees) and cold, snowy winters, which raise wines of good concentration and flavour against light to medium body and modest alcohols, typically well under 12%. I thought my hosts were having a lend when they told me Ritoznoj translates as ‘ass sweat’ due to the physically challenging nature of farming the region’s steep slopes, though a quick Google revealed this to be true. The impish Slovenian sense of humour is yet another reason to visit this wonderful country.
Expecting some deep or complex yarn as to the origins of the label’s naming, it was amusing to find it merely the home address of the Bogatič family – number 23 in the small settlement of Gabernik.
All ferments here are wild, with no oak used in any of the below wines bar the skin contact and sulphur is the only addition. This is a fresh and fun set of wines with some of the coolest labelling going around – we’ve even seen a tattoo of the skeleton character in the wild. These are true estate wines grown and made in a place of stunning natural beauty, offering equal amounts of intrigue and fun.
ABOUT THE PRODUCER
Biodynamic Minimal Intervention Wines From A Beautiful Adelaide Hills Estate
Owner Damon Nagel started life as a sommelier in Adelaide, moving to London to further his wine education whilst working in top end dining restaurants. Achieving success in London property, he would eventually return to Adelaide, purchasing the beautiful undulating Brackenwood farm in the early 2000s, first releasing wines from vintage 2005.
Winemaking is today overseen by Daniel Zuzolo, ex Primo Estate, with the stable offering interesting blends and lesser seen plantings of Barbera and Gamay alongside more traditional offerings such as Shiraz and Riesling.
Growing and winemaking is strictly along biodynamic lines, with no additions bar minimal sulphur at bottling. A pure set of releases very much at home alongside Felixir’s European offerings, fun styles of personality with enough depth and interest to be taken seriously.
