Guerila, Cabernet Franc Selection, Vipava Valley, Slovenia, 2020

Producer Profile

Zmago Petrič's family's winery is located in Vipavska Dolina and from the very beginning, they have worked organically and biodynamically, devoting their energies to local grape varieties and respecting the natural environment around them.

Concentrating on the varieties of Zelen and Pinela which are only grown in this region and nowhere else on the planet, they have built a genuinely unique proposition. Everything is hand-picked, naturally fermented and then bottled unfiltered with just a minimal sulphur addition, creating wines that are delicate, mineral and full of freshness.

Viticulture

Cabernet Franc grown in vineyards at Zavrh at an altitude of 250 - 350 meters above the sea level on soils full of marine sedament. The vines face south and are planted on terraced vineyards and vines are around 8 years old. Vineyards are worked organically and since 2011 also biodynamically.

Winemaking

Hand harvest of biodynamically produced grapes. Four week maceration of crushed grapes, spontaneous fermentation with natural yeast already present on the grapes and malolactic fermentation. One year maturation of the wine in used oak barriques. Bottling according to Maria Thun moon calendar with minimal addition of sulphur.

Oak Ageing

Time: 15 Months
Type: 1000 Litre Slovenian Oak
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: None

Tasting Note

Intense garnet red colour with ruby hues. It displays typical varietal characteristics of Cabernet Franc. Very complex aroma and flavour of dry plums, forest undergrowth, wild leather, tobacco and pepper. A rich, full body with an exceptionally long aftertaste and pleasing freshness.

Food Matching

Red and white meat, pasta, eggs and cheese.

Awards

Jancis Robinson 17.5 Points
Very slightly stinky at first, and then that clears, and the glass fills with green bell peppers, asparagus and snap-pea, crushed tomato leaf and redcurrant. Blackcurrant and redcurrant fruit flood the mouth with their taut, nervous acidity; darkly phenolic underneath, brightly snappy on top. Pink peppercorns give the wine an almost floral peppery bite and though the long, lean spine of the wine is gleaming-black mineral, there's a fragrant lavender lift and gentleness that whispers into the finish. Luculent tannins. Slightly wild, but rather special. 17.5 Points, TC, August 2022.