Zelen, Pikasi

Zelen is a rare local variety from Vipava Valley, with only 80 hectares left being cultivated in the world. It is a low-yielding varietal that thrives in the windy Vipava region, where the harsh climate means that growers must use indigenous grapes that are resistant to the intense winds.

The wine displays a pretty color of opaque gold with a slight haze. It delivers intense aromas of lemon, white tea, honeysuckle and the palate offers a silky texture with juicy lemon, bitter almond, and a touch of caramel, with lifted acidity.

Vipava Valley is right on the border of Slovenia, just north of the Italian port city of Trieste. The area is made up of steep hills, where the continental climate of the Alps collides with the more moderate mild Mediterranean climate from the Adriatic. Vineyards are located on steep, karst mountain tops, where the temperature is cooler and the soil contains mineral-rich marl, which makes it incredibly helpful in drainage of rainfall.

All grapes are hand-picked, de-stemmed, and undergo spontaneous fermentation with a 72 hour skin maceration in stainless steel tanks. The wine is then transferred to 2000L neutral oak barrels for 8 months, and matured in stainless steel for another 4 months until bottling. Bottled unfiltered, contains some sediment.