Danilo Mavrič – Merlot selekcija, 2017

If you find yourself cruising through the village of Plešivo in Brda, and you notice a yellow house with some old, thick vines next to it, then this is where we are today. We’re visiting Danilo and Anita Mavrič, a couple of immense energy and charisma. The wine we’ll look at is their selected Merlot, 2017.

Grapes are handpicked from a 15-year old vineyard which faces southwest. It is planted in Opoka, at an altitude of 120 meters above sea level. Vineyards are grassed, and they rely upon low-intervention farming principles. Extensive care is conducted in the vineyard in July when they select best bunches and remove leaves around clusters.

After destemming and crushing grapes macerate with the addition of selected yeast at 22 ° Celsius for 14 days. Following a gentle pressing, wine is moved to mature in used French and Slavonian oak barriques for 18 months, fully undertaking malolactic fermentation. After the assemblage it waits for further 6 months in stainless tanks, it is bottled with coarse filtration. After an approximate year of bottle ageing, it is ready to be sold on the market.

This results in a Merlot of dense, deep, ruby red coloured wine.

Its bouquet is intense. We detect ripe fruit; black currants, cherries, blackberries, violet petals. Followed by coffee, liquorice, then sweet spices and dried herbs.

A wine of warm softness, and oily feel. The freshness feels ripe, with an interlacing minerality and tannins that are slowly rounding up. All of this summing up in a sumptuously balanced taste.

Its taste is intense, full-bodied with lasting persistency. A wine of pronounced elegance with warm perceptions that indulges with its fullness. Harmonic, that is ready to drink now and is slowly reaching its peak. You can easily enjoy its evolution in the following 5 years.

The retail price for this Merlot selekcija is 15 Eur and is available upon direct order at the winemaker. They periodically deliver to Ljubljana. As a matter of fact, Anita is en-route tomorrow so if you want to grab an extra bottle call the number 041 320 916.