The grapes are destemmed and gently crushed with a pneumatic press. The juice is placed in old Slavonian oak vats and fermented with native yeasts. It macerates with the skins for around three months (however long it takes to reach total dryness) with no temperature control and no sulfur. The wine is then racked and aged on its lees in huge Slavonian oak casks (25-35-hectoliters) for 3-4 years and racked twice a year before bottling. The bottles are aged for several years before release.
Radikon
In the farthest reaches of Northeast Italy, the tiny village of Oslavje sits technically in the Isonzo zone of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, but it is so close to the Slovenian border that you can see the Slavic hills on a clear day. Driving along these dusty roads, it’s hard to escape the remnants of war and poverty that have ravaged this area over the last century. Yet, a bright light amongst all this is a passionate family of winemakers who have embraced the local grapes and traditional methods of wine making for more than 30 years and who have brought this area global attention with arguably the finest skin-contact wines in the world.
Stanko Radikon was a maverick in a land of mavericks. The town of Oslavia, on a relatively tiny stretch of hills north of the border town of Gorizia in the Isonzo zone of Friuli, is home to a number of talented and individualistic winemakers. From Radikon’s home, you can carry a plate of freshly cooked polenta to Edi Kante and Jasko Gravner, two other world-renowned winemakers, and still eat it piping hot.
The vineyards here were originally planted by Stanko Radikon’s grandfather, Franz Mikulus, who grew the local grape Ribolla Gailla to make wine for the family. In 1948, Stanko’s parents, who had inherited the property, planted additional grapes and expanded the production to create wine for sale. In 1976, Stanko Radikon began making wine, and in 1995, he returned to the process of long skin maceration that his grandfather used. He wanted to draw attention to local grapes like Ribolla Gailla and knew this method would produce the best examples. Radikon wines soon earned international acclaim, and he is often credited for creating the category of skin-contact wines as we know them today.
Stanko’s son Saša grew up helping his father in all aspects of winemaking – from carefully cultivating the local grapes to perfecting the best technique for punching down the heavy musts. He worked side by side with his father for over a decade, and when Stanko Radikon died in 2016, Saša took over the estate. Since then, he has expanded the domaine – still experimenting at every turn – but maintaining his father’s dedication to high-quality skin-contact wines. Radikon’s annual production is now 65,000 bottles, distributed to more than 20 countries, and Saša is revered around the world as a pioneer and master of skin-contact wines.
The Radikon estate is entirely organic in every aspect of production, and all vineyard activities are timed to the lunar phases. On just over 18 hectares, Saša grows local favourites Fruiliano, Ribolla Gailla, and Pignolo, as well as Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Merlot. Saša is slowly returning his focus to native grapes and replants with them whenever possible.
No matter the grape, the long maceration periods for skin-contact wines lead to intense flavours and an abundance of structure and tannins. Which in turn means these wines often age very well. Saša says some can age more than 20 years, whereby the freshness and acidity soften and classic tertiary flavors develop. Saša even designed his own bottles to create ideal aging conditions. Most Radikon wines come in a unique 100ml bottle with a slimmer 15mm cork – which creates the same proportion between cork and wine as in a magnum. And it also gives thirsty wine-lovers an extra 25ml to enjoy.
In 2009, Saša created the eponymous “S” range as a sort of introduction to skin-contact wines. For these cuvées, the grapes are kept on the skins for approximately 8-10 days (as opposed to up to four months for his other wines), so the intensity of flavours and tannins is lower, and the wines are overall more approachable. They are released ready to drink and meant to be enjoyed within a few years, they use traditional 750ml bottles.
