Vipava, Slovenia
I visited Franc and Alenka for the first time in 2014; with Fabrizio and a toddler (our first one). I was already smitten with the region from my visit 5 years prior, to Klinec, and was very excited to meet these new small natural wine making friends. They were warm and so hospitable and despite some communication issues, we managed to eat and taste together for hours laughing and telling stories. Their wines were so honest, clean and authentic… the essence of what Slovenia is for me. A step back in time even from an Italian standard. It was an immediate winning estate for me, and I was even more pleasantly surprised to see it become one of our most requested estates.
A year or so later, after 6 years of still not having found a Pinot Grigio to answer the markets requests.. and after tasting some amazing Modri Pinots and Sivi Pinots out of Slovenia I had one of my ah-ha moments. I was searching in the wrong country ϑ. Slavcek agreed to make us a Sivi Pinot in the traditional manner of a whisper of skin contact and a relatively short and gentle aging process. Franc out did himself, and to this day it is one of our most sought after wines. This is not to downplay by any means his other entry level red and white which way out drink their price vintage and vintage again. Another very special and incredibly hard working family that we are so honored to represent…
Slavcek is the name of an old winery in the Slovenian Vipavska Dolina (Vipava Valley) whose origins can be traced back to 1769. It is located in the rural village of Potok, a name that in Slovenian means "in the middle of the woods.” The small village, belonging to the, Vipavska region is in fact immersed in an expanse of woods, as are the vineyards of the cellar, now managed by Frank and Alenka Vodopivec, a willing couple of winemakers, who devote themselves heart and soul to quality production.
There are about 6 hectares of property, and, among the rows, there are different varieties of native and international grapes, both white and red, such as merlot, refosco dal peduncolo rosso, ribolla gialla, pinot grigio, tocai friulano, chardonnay and Italian riesling. The soils in which these varieties sink their roots are characterized by the abundant presence of marl, ideal for forming a fertile subsoil when the grapes ripen. Even the climate helps the perfect growth of the grapes, which can enjoy the benevolent sea breezes that come from the nearby Adriatic Sea, perfect for favoring the right temperature range between day and night.
In the vineyard the canons of natural agriculture are followed, without any use of chemicals and with the utmost attention and care of the plants.
