Orange weekly: Gravner - Breg 2004

Josko Gravner and Stanko Radikon, both hailing from Oslavje in north-eastern Friuli, pretty much kickstarted the revival of extended skin contact white wine making, in western Europe (In Georgia it has an unbroken history of 8000 years). For me, this make

Every week, I select an orange wine (a white wine made with extended skin contact) that grabbed my attention. View the whole series here.

Josko Gravner and Stanko Radikon, both hailing from Oslavia in north-eastern Friuli, pretty much kickstarted the revival of extended skin contact white wine making, in western Europe (In Georgia it has an unbroken history of 8000 years). For me, this makes uncorking a wine from either producer a special event.

Gravner's wines are as uncompromising as they are brilliant, produced solely in Georgian qvevris (amphorae) since 2001. This piercingly bright amber coloured Breg 2004, a white blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling Italico and Pinot Grigio still feels youthful and rather closed.

For a wine which has spent six months on its skins, the texture is soft and supple. On the nose, Breg '04 is reticent to say the least, with some spiced apple and sandalwood notes. The palate is beautifully balanced, with the focus and elegance that I associate w…