TASTING COMMENTS
Heavy rain during late June and early July had two consequences on Lozice profile in 2023. It made wine acidity more unstable and favoured higher phenolic extraction in Sauvignon juice at pressing. It resulted into an aromatic profile enhancing the classic dried herbs notes (sage, cumin) typical to Plesivica terroir, intertwined with some lime, spicy smokiness and a touch of butter brought by malolactic fermentation. On the palate, there are some nice grip and textural touch that nicely stretches the finish.
92 Pts from Jamie Goode (Wineanorak)
WINEMAKING STORY
Single vineyard wine from Lozice vineyard located in the shadiest part of Plešivica hill. Grapes were destemmed and crushed before pressing and settling. Spontaneous fermentations took place in combination of used 500 L and 225 L French oak barrels. Wine was aged on gross lees for 9 months in barrels and thereafter for another 3 months in stainless steel tank before being racked, fined, roughly filtered and bottled.
VINTAGE 2023
Winter 2023 was quite similar to 2022 with cooler temperature in February and more precipitation in general. However, May was much cooler and rainier than 2022 what postponed flowering to mid of June. June was overall quite dry and the weather became hot from 20th June to 20th July. At that date, the weather changed with series of heavy storms hitting Northern Italy, Slovenia and Central Europe in general. That caused dramatic flood in Northern Slovenia and many of our colleagues’ vineyard got damaged by hail. Fortunately, we were spare with hailstone but we receive more than 200 mm of rain in 3 weeks just before and at veraison. After 10th August, dry and warm weather came back. September and October were remarkably warm and dry what allowed a nice late season maturation for the grapes and a healthy late harvest that ended on 07/10. Nevertheless, the heavy storm episode in the mid of summer significantly impacted grape quality and wine style. The first consequence was instable acidity in white wines which meant that white grapes had to be handled gently not to lose too much acidity. We managed it by performing whole cluster pressing on most of our whites. Heavy rain before veraison also reduced grape tannins production and favoured the extraction of compounds bringing roundness to red wines. Red wines from 2023 won’t have big structure but will be juicy, fruity, deep and well balanced very young.
